CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Gaelic Language

Alan Reid: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what his Department's policy is on the use of the Gaelic language; and what plans his Department has to prepare and implement a Gaelic language scheme.

Christopher Leslie: Action to support the Gaelic language is primarily the responsibility of the Scottish Executive.
	The Department for Constitutional Affairs attaches great importance to the promotion and protection of the Gaelic language in line with the UK's obligations under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.
	The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill currently before the Scottish Parliament does not extend statutory obligations on UK public bodies in Scotland in relation to the preparation or implementation of Gaelic language plans. However, UK Departments and public bodies which operate in Scotland may—like comparable Scottish public bodies—have a role to play in facilitating the use of the language.
	My Department has been working closely with colleagues in the Scotland Office and the Scottish Executive on the role we can play, voluntarily, in securing the status of Gaelic.

Unpaid Fines

Sarah Teather: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many and what value of court-imposed fines have been defaulted on in (a) each London borough and (b) England in each year since 1997.

Christopher Leslie: Information on fines imposed and collected is provided by the 42 magistrates courts committees (MCCs) with the Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority (GLMCA) responsible for courts covering the Greater London area.
	Data are collected on the value of financial penalties (including fines) imposed and outstanding. It is not possible to separately identify the number and value of court-imposed fines defaulted on in any one year.
	Table 1 shows the national position since 1999 when payment rate collection began. There is no comparable data for previous years. Table 2 shows performance and payment rates prior to the establishment of the GLMCA in 2001 for the 22 magistrates courts committees (MCCs) that were subsequently amalgamated into the GLMCA. Data are not available centrally at borough level.
	
		Table 1 -- Percentage
		
			 Financial year Payment rate(2) (National—England and Wales)   Payment rate (GLMCA) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 62 (1)See table 2 and note below 
			 2000–01 63 (1)See table 2 and note below 
			 2001–02 59 46 
			 2002–03 55 40 
			 2003–04 74 66 
			 2004–05 (April-January)80 67 
		
	
	(1) Prior to 2001 the GLMCA did not exist as a single entity. It was created from the amalgamation of 22 magistrates courts committees (MCCs) on 1 April 2001 and therefore no earlier comparable figures exist. In addition, as a result of changes to the calculation of the payment rate in 2003–04, direct year-on-year comparisons arc not appropriate (see note (2) ).
	(3) The Payment Rate is defined as the amount paid into court as a percentage of new amounts owed. As a result of the revisions in the method of calculating the payment rate (detailed as follows), direct year-on-year comparisons cannot be made.
	Payment rate (September 1999 to March 2003)
	The calculation for the payment rate until March 2003 was:
	Payment rate = amount paid divided by new amount owed
	(New amount owed includes legally cancelled plus civil plus confiscation orders)
	Payment rate (April 2003 to December 2003)
	The calculation for the payment rate between April 2003 and December 2003 was:
	Payment rate = amount paid divided by new amount owed
	(New amount owed excludes legally cancelled plus civil plus confiscation orders)
	Payment rate (January 2004 onwards)
	The payment rate is currently calculated as follows:
	Payment rate = amount paid divided by new amount owed
	(New amount owed excludes legally cancelled plus administratively cancelled plus civil plus confiscation orders)
	
		Table 2: Payment rate for Greater London MCCs(now GLMCA) -- Percentage
		
			  Financial year 
			 MCC 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 51 59 
			 Barnet 69 29 
			 Bexley 72 63 
			 Brent 54 44 
			 Bromley 51 71 
			 City of London 69 41 
			 Croydon 75 48 
			 Ealing 59 56 
			 Enfield 56 67 
			 Haringey 49 49 
			 Harrow 50 50 
			 Havering 70 75 
			 Hillingdon 105 97 
			 Hounslow 62 48 
			 Inner London 36 27 
			 Kingston Upon Thames 57 63 
			 Merton, 57 56 
			 Newham 56 50 
			 Redbridge 61 88 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 66 86 
			 Sutton 41 44 
			 Waltham Forest 59 46

TREASURY

Correspondence

Anthony Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Chairman of the Inland Revenue will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes dated 20 December 2004 with regard to Mr. and Mrs. J Griffin of Brixham.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue replied to the hon. Member on 1 March 2005.

Euros

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many euro coins and notes have been produced (a) in and (b) for the United Kingdom in preparation for possible British membership of the euro; and what the cost of production has been.

Stephen Timms: No UK euro notes or coin have been produced for a possible changeover to the single currency.
	Further details of the Government's Policy on how a cash changeover would be managed, should there be a UK changeover, is published in Chapter 5 of the "third outline National Changeover Plan, June 2003", which is available in the House of Commons Library.

Bereavement Grants

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether bereavement grants are taxable.

Dawn Primarolo: Bereavement payment, made under s36 SSCBA 1992, is not taxable but the weekly bereavement allowance, paid under s39 SSCBA 1992, is taxable.

Corporation Tax

Liam Byrne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much UK corporation tax revenue was collected in each of the last 10 years, broken down by industry.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows the amount of Corporation Tax liability by industry for the last 10 years for which figures are available.
	
		Corporation tax liability by financial year -- £ million
		
			 Industry 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 
		
		
			 Agriculture, forestry, fishing 99 109 137 143 106 
			 Energy, water supply 1,065 1,518 1,743 2,751 2,065 
			 Extraction, metal mfg, chemicals 952 1,738 2,052 1,993 1,660 
			 Metal goods and engineering 1,763 2,266 2,304 2,421 2,566 
			 Other manufacturing 2,270 2,670 2,750 2,794 2,799 
			 Construction 548 592 631 702 818 
			 Distribution and repairs 3,030 3,556 3,741 3,997 4,411 
			 Hotels and catering 149 209 272 328 451 
			 Transport and communication 1,423 1,438 1,956 2,019 1,935 
			 Banking, finance and insurance 5,079 6,922 8,520 9,099 10,329 
			 Business services 1,943 2,272 2,489 3,249 3,410 
			 Other services 500 587 707 827 885 
			 Overseas activities 95 464 190 267 190 
			 Not classified 1,125 1,321 1,479 1,051 1,206 
			 All industries 20,041 25,661 28,971 31,641 32,829 
		
	
	
		£ million
		
			 Industry 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Agriculture, forestry, fishing 86 90 73 88 100 
			 Energy, water supply 1,786 1,903 3,808 3,996 2,829 
			 Extraction, metal mfg, chemicals 1,418 1,188 1,038 1,134 1,198 
			 Metal goods and engineering 2,354 1,918 1,667 1,386 1,276 
			 Other manufacturing 2,853 2,308 2,277 1,920 1,986 
			 Construction 915 934 1,044 1,219 1,420 
			 Distribution and repairs 3,985 3,502 3,462 3,751 3,952 
			 Hotels and catering 427 433 365 340 359 
			 Transport and communication 2,274 1,398 1,207 876 1,263 
			 Banking, finance and insurance 11,543 10,473 12,024 7,945 8,227 
			 Business services 4,301 4,126 4,299 4,325 4,231 
			 Other services 1,002 748 724 828 869 
			 Overseas activities 304 136 78 275 54 
			 Not classified 1,305 773 555 572 876 
			 All industries 34,554 29,932 32,621 28,656 28,639

Growth Rate

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the UK's five year rolling average growth rate has been in each year since 1992.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Willetts, dated 4 March 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what the UK's five year rolling average growth rate has been in each year since 1992. (219556)
	The rolling average growth rates of UK Gross Domestic Product, for each year since 1992, in nominal terms (current prices) and chained volume measures (constant prices) are summarised in the table below:
	
		Growth rates of UK Gross Domestic Product
		
			 Rolling annual average growth rates for: Using data for: Average percentage change in GDP—current prices Average percentage change in GDP—constant at 2000 prices 
		
		
			 1992 1989 to 1994 5.8 1.3 
			 1993 1990 to 1995 5.2 1.7 
			 1994 1991 to 1996 5.4 2.5 
			 1995 1992 to 1997 5.8 3.1 
			 1996 1993 to 1998 6.0 3.3 
			 1997 1994 to 1999 5.8 3.0 
			 1998 1995 to 2000 5.8 3.2 
			 1999 1996 to 2001 5.4 3.1 
			 2000 1997 to 2002 5.2 2.8 
			 2001 1998 to 2003 3.8 3.9 
			 2002 1999 to 2004 3.4 4.4

Growth Rate

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the effect of migration on the underlying growth rate of the UK economy.

Stephen Timms: The Treasury's projection for the trend growth rate of the economy is built up from projections of growth for the different components that drive trend growth, one of which is the population of working age. As referred to in the 2004 pre-Budget report, the trend growth assumption is 2¾ per cent. over the current economic cycle, with growth in the working-age population contributing around ½ percentage point. Included in this ½ percentage point is a contribution from net migration of slightly over ¼percentage point. The paper "Trend Growth: Recent Developments and Prospects" published alongside Budget 2002 explained the Treasury's approach to assessing trend growth, and further relevant material is published in the economy chapter of each pre-Budget and Budget report.

Inland Revenue/Customs and Excise (Merger)

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the Inland Revenue office in Alexandra House, Salisbury of the merger of the Inland Revenue with Customs and Excise.

Dawn Primarolo: Any decisions are dependent upon customer requirements and the development of the new HMRC business model. The plans for Alexandra House, Salisbury were made public in my written answer of 1 February 2005, Official Report, column 759W. Planning options continue to be explored for the staff affected.

Rent-a-room Scheme

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) landlords and (b) tenants have participated in the rent-a-room scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue does not have central records of the numbers of landlords or tenants who have participated in the rent-a-room scheme, as many of those landlords do not have to complete tax returns.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the oral answer of 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 922, on tax credits, when the figures for overpayments of tax credits referred to will be published.

Dawn Primarolo: Statistics on overpayments and underpayments will be published in spring 2005 under National Statistics. In line with the National Statistics code of practice, the date of publication will be announced on the Inland Revenue website in due course.
	http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/updates/updating_figures_2003_1.htm

Tax Credits

Bill Tynan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what safeguards are in place to ensure individuals do not suffer financial hardship through the recovery of overpayment of tax credits by the Inland Revenue;
	(2)  what factors are taken into account before the Inland Revenue takes a decision on the level of repayment an individual should make towards recovery of overpayment of tax credit;
	(3)  what steps the Inland Revenue takes to discuss affordability with individuals in advance of imposing deductions to recover overpayments of tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26 ("What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?") sets out their approach to handling overpayments of tax credits. It describes a number of measures the Revenue has put in place to protect against hardship being caused by the recovery of an overpayment, which I can summarise as follows:
	Where possible, the Inland Revenue will collect an overpayment from a previous year from a continuing award. There are automatic limits on the amounts that will be deducted from payments and these are designed to prevent hardship.
	Where a claimant's circumstances change, the Inland Revenue adjust their payments for the rest of the year with the aim of paying the right amount of tax credits for the year as a whole. The Inland Revenue may make additional tax credits payments to prevent hardship where payments are reduced following the adjustment of an award. The effect of these payments is that only part of an expected overpayment being collected is recovered by the end of the year, leaving the balance to be recovered in later years.
	In exceptional cases, where claimants still feel that recovery of an overpayment is causing hardship, the Inland Revenue will consider the facts of the case and may decide not to collect all or part of the overpayment, or allow more time to pay.
	Where claimants have no award for the current year, they receive a "Notice to Pay". This advises them to contact the Inland Revenue if they want to arrange to pay back their overpayment in 12 monthly instalments, or to request repayment over a longer period.

Tax Credits

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Northavon of 5 January (PO Ref: 1/38019/2005) regarding the tax credits position of a constituent; and if he will ensure that the constituent receives emergency giro payments of tax credits at the earliest possible opportunity.

Dawn Primarolo: I wrote to the hon. Member on 2 March.
	The Inland Revenue sent the hon. Member's constituent a payment on 1 March.

Tax Credits

Anthony Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when a giro for an underpayment of tax credits for the 2004–05 tax year will be sent to Mr. David Crawford of Galmpton; why it has not been issued to date; and if he will make a statement on the tax credit computer system problems which are preventing giros being issued.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue wrote to the hon. Member on 3 March 2005.

Tax Credits

Anthony Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will investigate the reasons for working family tax credit being reclaimed from Ms Deborah Porter of Paignton; and for what reasons the Tax Credit Office have not replied to her letters.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue replied to the hon. Member's constituent's letters on 3 December 2004 and 3 March 2005. Their Code of Practice 26 "What happens if we have paid you too much tax credits?" outlines the approach they take in dealing with overpayments of tax credits.

Tax Returns

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual saving to the Exchequer of the introduction of (a) self-assessment tax returns and (b) online filing of self-assessment tax returns.

Dawn Primarolo: Self-Assessment was introduced in 1996 to modernise and simplify the assessment and payment processes. The new system also produced staff savings worth over £450million within the first four years. The success of the project was confirmed in an independent post-implementation review.
	Since 1996 many improvements and changes have been made in the light of experience and they have also produced savings. One of the most significant has been the ability to file online (via the internet or the electronic lodgement service). More than 1.6 million online tax returns have been received in 2004–05 (for tax year 2003–04). These will generate targeted savings of more than £14 million in 2005–6, which as take-up continues to rise will increase to over £40 million per annum from 2011–12.

Tax Returns

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many random checks on (a) self-employed and (b) small business tax returns there were in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available; and what proportion of these random checks identified (A) major and (B) minor errors or omissions.

Dawn Primarolo: I can inform that hon. Gentleman that in every year since 1997 the Inland Revenue has undertaken roughly 2,600 random enquiries into the tax returns of self-employed individuals and roughly 250 random enquiries into the tax returns of small businesses. In the tax year 1997–98 adjustments were made to the returns in 32 per cent. of all random enquiries. The last year for which the Inland Revenue has produced complete analysis is 1998–99. In 1998–99 adjustments were made to returns in 30 per cent. of random enquiries.

Tax Returns

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of random checks of self-assessment tax returns in (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) the last year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has not undertaken any research into such costs.

Tax Returns

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the tax fee insurance being offered by accountancy firms to cover costs in the event of a random audit by the Inland Revenue; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has not made any assessment of these insurance schemes.

Tax Returns

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average costs borne by an individual facing a random audit of their income tax return; whether financial assistance will be made available to cover the costs for those individuals who are found to have filed their return correctly; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has not undertaken any research into the costs concerned and has no plans to offer to reimburse such costs in any inquiry case.

Tax Returns

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there is a difference in the average cost for the Inland Revenue when undertaking a random audit of an individual's income tax return when the Inland Revenue deals with (a) an accountant representing the individual and (b) the individual themselves.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has not undertaken any research into the relative costs concerned.

Tax Take (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the impact (a) in total and (b) as a percentage on (i) total Government revenue, (ii) income tax take, (iii) corporation tax take, (iv) national insurance take and (v) revenue from duties of an increase in Scottish gross domestic product of (A) 0.5 per cent., (B) 1 per cent. and (C) 1.5 per cent. on his most recent estimate for UK gross domestic product growth.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available. The overall impact on revenues of stronger relative Scottish growth would depend upon the composition of the extra growth.

Tax Take (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the impact (a) in total and (b) as a percentage on (i) total Government revenue, (ii) income tax take, (iii) corporation tax take, (iv) national insurance take and (v) revenue from duties of a medium-term fall in Scotland's population of (A) 100,000, (B) 250,000 and (C) 500,000.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available. The impact on total government revenues from a fall in the population of Scotland would depend in part on the effects on the age profile and income distribution of the population.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Portcullis House (Fire Alarms)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many fire alarms have gone off in Portcullis House in each of the last two years; how many were found not to have been caused by a fire; what the (a) shortest, (b) average and (c) longest period was that the building was closed; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: In 2003, detecting devices were triggered in Portcullis House on 73 occasions, of which 18 were caused by fire and smoke, 17 were activated for other reasons such as steam, and 38 were faults in the system. The corresponding figures for 2004 are 86, 18, 14 and 54. The fire alarm sounded and as a result there was a full evacuation of the building on two occasions in 2003 and seven in 2004. Records are not kept of the length of each evacuation.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service Prosecutions

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many (a) fraud, (b) forgery, (c) gun crime, (d) internet crime, (e) robbery, (f) snatch theft and (g) alcohol-related violent offence cases the Crown Prosecution Service has brought in (i) Essex and (ii) England and Wales in each year since 1997; and how many of these resulted in (A) conviction and (B) acquittal.

Harriet Harman: Gun crime, internet crime and alcohol-related violent offences are offences which cannot be separately identified on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database. Snatch theft is categorised as theft from the person. The table sets out the relevant figures for the other requested categories. The figures relate to persons for whom these sentences were for the principal offences for which they were found guilty. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty at all courts and acquitted at crown courtsfor various offences—Essex police force area and England and Wales, 1997 to 2003 (4)
		
			  Theft from the person Fraud 
			  Proceeded against Found guilty Acquitted Proceeded against Found guilty Acquitted 
		
		
			 Essex police force area 
			 1997 140 158 9 528 355 19 
			 1998 192 164 8 558 361 14 
			 1999 139 127 9 508 347 23 
			 2000 70 55 4 544 324 5 
			 2001 165 112 5 505 321 11 
			 2002 177 138 3 483 316 12 
			 2003 204 173 5 442 321 6 
			 England and Wales 
			 1997 5,987 5,742 556 20,866 14,661 587 
			 1998 6,256 5,495 573 24,161 17,402 580 
			 1999 6,816 5,691 473 25,101 17,992 679 
			 2000 6,853 5,673 503 23,660 17,039 716 
			 2001 7,340 6,008 579 22,512 16,084 607 
			 2002 8,140 6,498 451 21,494 15,743 494 
			 2003 8,012 6,542 446 20,787 15,223 541 
		
	
	
		
			  Forgery Robbery 
			  Proceeded against Found guilty Acquitted Proceeded against Found guilty Acquitted 
		
		
			 Essex police force area 
			 1997 314 226 4 137 60 9 
			 1998 300 217 3 163 86 13 
			 1999 231 173 3 132 89 8 
			 2000 234 176 1 153 78 6 
			 2001 304 223 3 198 80 21 
			 2002 249 176 1 206 95 17 
			 2003 191 149 — 171 84 19 
			 England and Wales 
			 1997 9,851 7,298 137 10,781 5,589 984 
			 1998 9,423 6,900 98 10,450 5,542 1,164 
			 1999 8,893 6,408 103 10,321 5,626 1,214 
			 2000 8,075 5,668 93 12,142 5,891 1,374 
			 2001 8,221 5,731 102 14,871 6,822 1,515 
			 2002 8,381 5,734 90 15,644 7,711 1,172 
			 2003 8,758 6,057 112 13,732 7,303 1,897 
		
	
	(4) These data are on the principal offence basis.

Freedom of Information Requests

Julian Lewis: To ask the Solicitor-General what her policy is in respect of the publication (a) on the departmental website and (b) by placing copies in the Library of (i) all or (ii) a selection of the information disclosed in response to Freedom of Information requests since January.

Harriet Harman: Where a response is likely to be of general interest, I have arranged for the information to be placed on the departmental website. This is decided on a case-by-case basis.
	This is consistent with Guidance on Publication Schemes issued by the Department of Constitutional Affairs in July 2002, which recommended that where information is disclosed to an individual in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, Departments should consider whether the information disclosed is of general interest and include released information in the Publication Scheme where appropriate.
	I do not intend as a general rule to make such information available in the Library, as placing it on the website makes it available to a wider audience.

Rape/Sexual Assault

Vera Baird: To ask the Solicitor-General what plans she has to improve the prosecution attrition rate in rape cases.

Harriet Harman: The HMCPSI and HMIC joint thematic inspection into the investigation and prosecution of cases involving allegations of rape was published in April 2002. The report set out concerns regarding levels of victim satisfaction, high attrition rates and low conviction rates in cases of rape.
	In July 2002, the Government published a Rape Action Plan. It accepted nearly all the recommendations put forward by the HMCPSI and HMIC report.
	Implementation of these recommendations has been ongoing since the publication of the Rape Action Plan. The measures implemented by the Crown Prosecution Service following the Rape Action Plan include each CPS Area having a rape co-ordinator to provide and disseminate good practice within and across areas; that rape cases are reviewed by specialist lawyers; that decisions to drop or substantially reduce the prosecution case, or to advise the police to take no further action, are discussed with a second specialist lawyer before a final decision is made; that instructions are given to prosecuting advocates that offensive and seemingly irrelevant cross-examination should be challenged, and inappropriate cross-examination about previous sexual experience should be challenged; and that the Crown Prosecution Service has published its policy statement on rape explaining to the public how the Crown Prosecution Service deals with rape cases.
	There will be an audit of the Rape Action Plan of police forces and CPS areas by a working group comprised of Home Office, CPS and ACPO officials. The audit of the Rape Action Plan will take into account forthcoming research in attrition rates and other recent publications, both in terms of assessing progress, and identifying any further recommendations that may follow. It is planed to carry out this audit in the spring/summer of this year.
	The work of the audit will tie in with the Home Office research planned to look in detail at the decline in detection rates in rape and sexual assault cases and current variation in detection rate performance.
	An audit of the Rape Action Plan will enable the Government to identify what is working and what remains to be done to tackle attrition in rape cases, which has been identified by the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on Sexual Offending as a key priority.

Whiterock Parade

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Solicitor-General what the reasons were for the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions not to proceed with charges arising from events associated with the Whiterock Parade in July 1993.

Harriet Harman: Arising out of an incident at Whiterock, Belfast, on 28 June 2003, the Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland received a police file in respect of an alleged breach of a Parades Commission's Determination of 28 June 2003. Following consideration of the file the police were asked to commence proceedings against one individual for an offence contrary to section 8(7) of the Public Processions Act (Northern Ireland) 1998. This is an offence that can only be tried in the magistrates court and proceedings must be commenced within six months of the alleged offence having been committed. The administrative steps required to initiate the proceedings were a matter for the police.
	The absence of formal confirmation of commencement of proceedings was noticed by the Department on 23 December 2003 and the police were asked to confirm that proceedings had in fact been commenced. The Department was assured that proceedings had been commenced. In February 2004 the Department was informed that through administrative error, proceedings had not in fact been commenced by police within the statutory time period. As more than six months had elapsed at that stage proceedings were by then statute barred and it was not possible to take any further action.
	The Police Service for Northern Ireland referred the matter to the Police Ombudsman for investigation.

Witnesses

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General what powers of investigation are granted to the Crown Prosecution Service to check the credibility and reliability of witnesses, in addition to the initial investigations by the police.

Harriet Harman: On 20 December 2004, the Attorney-General published his report on "Pre-trial Interviews with Witnesses". The Attorney recommended that, in certain circumstances, a crown prosecutor should in the future have the ability to hold pre-trial interviews with witnesses.
	Such interviews should be conducted for the purpose and the extant that, in the view of the prosecutor, such an interview is necessary in order to assess the reliability of or clarify a witness's evidence. This will inform the decision to prosecute or to continue with a prosecution that has already been commenced. The intention is not to gain or obtain new evidence, although further evidence upon which the prosecution would seek to rely may be revealed during the course of the interview. In such circumstances, a police officer will be asked to take a further statement.
	The Director of Public Prosecutions has commissioned work to take forward the recommendations of the report and to see how the recommendations can best be piloted.

TRANSPORT

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in the last two years.

Charlotte Atkins: The cost of works in 2002–03 to restore four ministerial suites, the offices of the Permanent Secretary and two Special Advisers and associated private office areas (including those for the ministerial support unit and the parliamentary branch) was £145,660 plus fees plus VAT. This work was undertaken as part of a consolidation package to co-locate Ministers and DfT staff in the same building and has resulted in an annual saving of some £220,000 in accommodation costs to the Department.

Foreign Airlines (Disabled People)

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will press for measures to ensure that deaf and other disabled people are not refused carriage by foreign airlines operating in the UK unless there are legitimate safety grounds;
	(2)  if he will request that Iberia Airlines apologise to, and compensate, the party of deaf UK passengers, for refusing to carry them on 22 July 2004.

Charlotte Atkins: In light of the incident on the Iberia Airlines flight last summer we have referred the issue of restrictions on the number of disabled people who are carried on particular aircraft to the European Civil Aviation Conference's Facilitation Sub Group on air travel for persons with reduced mobility (PRM). The term PRM is used in European fora to refer to disabled and, in some cases, also to other mobility impaired people.
	The ECAC group has agreed to look at the issue with a view to seeing what, if any, changes might be needed to current recommended practices and policies. That work item has been included in the progamme for this year.
	We have no basis on which to ask Iberia Airlines to apologise to, or to compensate those involved in last summer's incident.

Growth Areas (Funding)

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department has earmarked for growth areas to ensure that they have the resources required to meet the demands of a growing population.

Charlotte Atkins: Apart from the new £200 million Community Infrastructure Fund for transport projects to facilitate new housing development, my Department has taken account of the benefits that particular projects would have for the four growth areas when considering individual proposals, rather than set aside specific parts of national budgets to spend in those areas.
	Our latest estimate of recent and planned expenditure on local authority and Highways Agency major transport projects that will support the growth areas is about £3.5 billion. This includes, for example, the cost of a number of Local Transport Plan projects that have been provisionally accepted for DfT funding and therefore assumes that they will obtain all necessary statutory approvals as well as satisfying the Department's detailed scheme assessment requirements.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

2012 Olympics

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what undertakings the Government have given to the London bid team on meeting shortfalls in the budget for the London 2012 bid; and who will be responsible for meeting a shortfall in the budget to deliver a 2012 London bid.

Tessa Jowell: London 2012 have stated that they are not budgeting for a shortfall on the bid and they have received no assurances from the Government on meeting any shortfall on the bid should one arise. London 2012 and its directors are responsible for ensuring that it has sufficient income to meet its costs.

2012 Olympics

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with Transport for London on special arrangements to control the flow and numbers of passengers using the London Underground system during the visit of the International Olympic Committee evaluation team to London in February.

Tessa Jowell: I have had no such discussions. The operation of the London Underground is the responsibility of Transport for London.

2012 Olympics

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) local authorities, (b) businesses and (c) representatives of users of public roads regarding the use of synchronised traffic lights and other special measures during the visit of the International Olympic Committee evaluation team in February.

Tessa Jowell: I have had no such discussions, although officials are aware that some measures were considered by Transport for London. The management of traffic signalling in London is the responsibility of Transport for London.

2012 Olympics

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent on promoting London's bid for the 2012 Olympics; how much has been spent in London; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: As stated in the Command Paper Cm 5867 laid before the House in June 2003, the Mayor and I agreed that DCMS and the London Development Agency (LDA) should contribute to the costs of the bid organisation and associated planning in equal shares to a combined limit of £30 million.
	Included within this sum is an agreed grant, with a limit of £20 million and financed in equal part from the DCMS and LDA, to the bid company "London 2012", which oversees the majority of the work associated with promoting the London bid. A cost breakdown of what proportion of this money has been spent in London is not readily available.
	The further £10 million is a bid support budget jointly funded and managed by DCMS and the LDA. Costs committed under this budget to date are as follows:
	
		
			 Item Amount (£) 
		
		
			 Start up costs for London 2012 278,822 
			 Stakeholder accountability (including cost validation and OGC review) 169,578 
			 Masterplanning (including consultancy and legal work) 3,000,000 
			 Sports events 600,000 
			 Infrastructure (including feasibility study for Aquatics Centre and for undergrounding of power lines in Olympic Park area) 1,598,000 
			 Staging period preparation (including economic benefit assessment and consultancy work) 719,553 
			 Miscellaneous (including assessment work for transport and "kids swim free" scheme) 1,865,040 
			 Total 8,230,993

DEFENCE

12 Mechanised Brigade

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the date is for the deployment of 12 Mechanised Brigade to Iraq;
	(2)  what training in prisoner handling 12 Mechanised Brigade will receive before their deployment to Iraq.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 3 March 2005
	12 Mechanised Brigade (12 Mech Bde) will deploy to Iraq in the next few months. I am withholding the precise date as its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our forces.
	Prisoner handling training for 12 Mech Bde will be covered by the following methods: all soldiers receive initial training on handling of prisoners through Individual Training Directive No 6: "Law of Armed Conflict", which is then repeated on an annual basis; all personnel will receive a legal brief on the handling of prisoners during Central Pre-Deployment Training; additional legal training to be undertaken by commanding officers and key staff will include a study period on search and detention; and a number of other personnel will attend a specific course on prisoner handling and tactical questioning. In addition, aspects of prisoner handling will be practised on 2 Field Training Exercises prior to the Brigade's deployment.

Commando Training Centre (Lympstone)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the reasons were for the decision to drop assault charges against the six Royal Marines instructors based at the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone; on what date the decision was taken; and whether further complaints against officers are awaiting consideration.

Harriet Harman: I have been asked to reply.
	Six members of the training staff at Lympstone Marine Commando Training Centre were originally charged with offences including disgraceful conduct, ill-treatment of men of inferior rank and conduct prejudicial to military discipline. On receipt of fresh evidence pertaining to the case, and in accordance with its duty to keep the prosecution under constant review, the Army Prosecuting Authority reviewed the charges against the six accused. Applying the tests of sufficiency of evidence and public interest contained in the Code for Service Prosecutors, the APA decided to discontinue all proceedings against one accused on 31 January and then, following the receipt of further evidence, against the remaining five accused on 2 February 2005. The Army Prosecuting Authority is not aware of any further complaints against these servicemen.

Infantry Armoured Artillery

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of infantry armoured artillery was deployed at 1 January.

Ivor Caplin: Around 15 per cent. of Infantry units, 20 per cent. of Royal Armoured Corps units and 21 per cent. of Royal Artillery units were deployed on operations on 1 January 2005.

Recruitment (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the (a) Black Watch, (b) King's Own Borderers and (c) Scots Guards were recruited from Lancashire in the last year for which figures are available.

Ivor Caplin: The information requested for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004, the last full financial year for which figures are available, is shown in the following table.
	
		Recruited from Lancashire during financial year 2003–04
		
			 Regiment Number 
		
		
			 Black Watch 0 
			 King's Own Royal Border Regiment 15 
			 Scots Guards 10 
		
	
	It should be noted that Infantry recruits are enlisted into a Division and not a specific Regiment. The results in this table may not, therefore, be fully accurate as it reflects those recruits who specified The Black Watch, The King's Own Royal Border Regiment and the Scots Guards as a "Preferred Capbadge" on enlisting as recorded on the database of Headquarters Recruiting Group, who oversee the Army's recruiting offices.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Arms Exports (Sudan)

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many prosecutions have been brought in courts outside the UK against (a) UK nationals and (b) UK bodies for breach of the embargo on sales of arms to Sudan;
	(2)  how many (a) UK nationals and (b) UK bodies are under investigation but have not yet been charged for possible breaches of the embargo on sales of arms to Sudan.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	Customs are not aware of any prosecutions in courts outside the UK of UK nationals or UK bodies for breaches of the embargo on the supply of arms to Sudan.
	Customs made inquiries into allegations concerning two UK nationals supplying the Government of Sudan with military equipment. As a result of those inquiries Customs concluded that there was insufficient evidence to commence criminal proceedings and they intend to take no further action unless new information comes to light.
	The release of further information regarding any inquiries in this area would prejudice law enforcement or the prevention and prosecution of crime. However, it is normal policy that Customs will look into all significant allegations and intelligence in relation to breaches of arms embargoes.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 2 February concerning the malfunction of pensioners' PIN cards.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I replied to my hon. Friend's letter on 17 February 2005.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the (i) Advisory Committee for the Technical Adaptation of the Community Procedure to Improve the Transparency of Gas and Electricity Prices Charged to Industrial End-users and (ii) Committee for the Implementation of the Series of Guidelines for Trans-European Energy Networks met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: A "Task Force on Gas and Electricity Prices", composed of experts from member states looked into the new methodology for the data collection of gas and electricity prices for both the industrial and domestic sectors. It reported prior to the Italian, Irish and Dutch presidencies of the EU, which spanned the period July 2003 to December 2004. Subsequently, the Energy Statistics Committee Working Group with senior statisticians from member states, discussed the conclusions of the Task Force in May 2004.
	The Trans-European Networks Financial Assistance Committee for the Energy Sector met once during the Italian presidency of the EU, on 15 July 2003, and once during the Dutch presidency, on 12 November 2004. Both meetings took place in Brussels. The Committee did not meet during the Irish presidencies.

Nuclear Industry

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of proposals in the International Atomic Energy Agency publication, Multilateral Approaches to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (infcirc/640), in respect of the conversion of the Sellafield and Dounreay reprocessing facilities to international ownership and management.

Mike O'Brien: The Government believes this publication will provide a valuable contribution to the nuclear debate. It is too early for any detailed assessment on the implication of the report for the UK nuclear industry. However the Government will, as the report recommends, be giving attention to the approaches set out in the report to investigate their practicality, feasibility and usefulness, and be playing a full part in the international discussions which follow.

Nuclear Waste

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanisms are used to monitor and track nuclear waste materials; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 28 February 2005
	The majority of UK radioactive waste stocks are recorded in a UK Radioactive Waste Inventory prepared jointly by The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and United Kingdom Nirex Ltd (Nirex) approximately every three years. The last published inventory, for a stock date of 1 April 2001, was published in October 2002. The next, for a stock date of 1 April 2004, will be published towards the end of this year. But the inventory is not used to specifically track waste materials, nor does it list all such materials.
	The UK's civil nuclear sites apply stringent security measures regulated.by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS). OCNS also regulate security for the transportation of civil nuclear materials. Security at nuclear sites and during transportation of nuclear material is kept under regular review in the light of the prevailing threat.
	In addition, Euratom Safeguards are applied to the nuclear material content of certain types of nuclear waste and these involve reporting to and inspection by the European Commission.

Post Office Card Accounts

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what provisions are made for those who withdraw their pension using the Post Office account card and forget their pin; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Where a customer has forgotten their PIN when in the Post office branch they are asked to call the customer service helpline 08457 22 33 44 to order a replacement PIN. The account holder should receive a replacement PIN within four working days. The terms and conditions document for the card account which customers are required to read before opening an account also gives this information.
	As with most card accounts, Post Office card account customers can change the PIN originally allocated to them to a set of numbers that they might find easier to remember.

Wind Turbines

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many wind turbines she anticipates will be erected in the UK by 2010.

Mike O'Brien: The Government's target of renewable energy sources contributing 10 per cent. of our electricity by 2010 is for all forms of renewables, not just wind, although it is clear that wind will make the main contribution. At this stage it is difficult to predict precise numbers. There are already just under 1,200 wind turbines currently in operation. Generating 10 per cent. of UK electricity from renewables could mean an increase of possibly another one and half times that number. There will also be a rather smaller number of offshore turbines.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Complaints about Schools

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints the Commissioner for Local Administration in England has received concerning schools in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

Stephen Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills does not keep a record of the number of complaints the Commissioner for Local Administration has received concerning schools in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

Complaints about Schools

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action the Commissioner for Local Administration in England has taken in relation to complaints that he has upheld concerning schools in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

Stephen Twigg: The Department does not keep a record of any action taken by the Commissioner for Local Administration in relation to complaints that he has upheld about schools in Sittingbourne and Sheppey and on which he expects the organisation to provide a suitable remedy.

Post-16 Education (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of young people in York continuing in education and training after GCSE was in (a) each year since 1996–97 and (b) 2004–05.

Ivan Lewis: Information for 16-year-olds (i.e. the first year of post compulsory education) in education and work based learning (WBL—including apprenticeships) by local education authority (LEA) is currently only available as at the end of the calendar year 2001.
	The number of 16-year-olds participating in education or WBL in York LEA at end 2001 was around 1,900, or 88 per cent.
	Figures for end 2002 and end 2003 will be published, alongside an historic time series, on 31 March 2005 on the Department's website.

Education Maintenance Allowances (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students at education institutions in York are receiving education maintenance allowances; what the average weekly value of those allowances is in York; and what the total expenditure on the allowances in York is expected to be in the 2004–05 academic year.

Ivan Lewis: At 1 March 2005 a total of 916 young people who are studying in institutions in York LEA area have received at least one EMA payment since the start of the 2004/05 academic year.
	Data is not available at LEA level as to the actual expenditure. Payments are, and vary between £10, £20 and £30 per week according to household income, and are dependent upon whether the student has attended college or school in each week. There are also bonuses, which are linked to progression and retention. Taking account of these factors, and applying national averages, the estimated expenditure on students in York for the 2004/05 academic year is around £915,000.

Permanent Exclusions

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what change there has been in the level of unsatisfactory behaviour leading to permanent exclusions since 1997.

Derek Twigg: We are unable to indicate what change there has been in levels of behaviour leading to exclusion since 1997 as schools use a range of measures to tackle poor behaviour before it reaches a point where exclusion is the only appropriate response. There were 12,668 permanent exclusions in 1996/97. In 2002/03, the last school year for which we have data, exclusions had fallen to 9,290, which is around 25 per cent. below the 1996/97 peak. The following table provides information on the levels of permanent exclusion from 1996/97 to 2002/03:
	
		Permanent exclusions 1996/97 to 2002/03 for England
		
			  Number of pupils Percentage of school population 
		
		
			 1996/97 12,668 0.17 
			 1997/98 12,298 0.16 
			 1998/99 10,438 0.14 
			 1999/2000 8,323 0.11 
			 2000/01 9,135 0.12 
			 2001/02 9,535 0.12 
			 2002/03 9,290 0.12

Primary Teachers (London)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many primary school teachers were on permanent contracts in London in September in each year since 1997; and how many unfilled vacancies there were in each of these years.

Stephen Twigg: Information on the numbers of teachers employed on permanent contracts in primary schools is not collected centrally.
	The following table provides the number of nursery and primary teacher vacancies in London in January of each year from 1997 to 2004, the latest information available.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 450 
			 1998 630 
			 1999 590 
			 2000 520 
			 2001 820 
			 2002 600 
			 2003 410 
			 2004 250 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	DfES annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies (Form 618G Survey).

Pupil Referral Units

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what security measures are implemented in pupil referral units; and what the costs of those measures were in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) costs of security personnel, (b) costs of security features including alarm systems, metal detectors, fencing and CCTV cameras and (c) other costs.

Derek Twigg: Security measures in schools, including in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), are arranged locally. The Department for Education and Skills does not collect implementation details or figures showing the security costs in PRUs. Money made available to local authorities in England (as Grant 317) or from the Capital Modernisation Fund from 1997–08 to 2002–03 could be used to improve security in PRUs as well as in other maintained schools. Ring-fenced funding totalled £120 million and was all drawn down.

School Budget Deficits (London)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which schools in each borough in Greater London ran a budget deficit in the year ended 31 March 2004; and how much this deficit was for each school.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

School Playground Schemes

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what support the Government are giving to school playground schemes.

Stephen Twigg: pursuant to the reply, 24 February 2005, Official Report, c. 756W
	The funding being provided by the Big Lottery Fund (BLF), towards playground improvements in England, is around £8.1 million. This is distributed through the New Opportunities for Physical Education and Sport programme.

Specialist Schools

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department is taking to encourage head teachers who have not applied for specialist status for their schools to do so.

Stephen Twigg: Within the framework of the Specialist Schools Programme it is for individual schools to decide on whether to apply for specialist school designation. We fund the Specialist Schools Trust and the Youth Sport Trust to offer advice and to support schools wishing to apply for specialist status.

Sure Start

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many children in North Durham have benefited from the Sure Start programme since its inception;
	(2)  how much money has been spent on the Sure Start programme in North Durham since its inception.

Margaret Hodge: Durham North has two Sure Start local programmes; Sure Start Stanley and Sure Start Chester-le-Street.
	Sure Start Stanley was approved as a local programme in October 2000 and supports around 940 young children and their families living in the Stanley area of North Durham. The local programme provides a wide range of services to support local families including: access to good quality and affordable childcare, crèche provision, playgroups and parent and toddler groups; improved local health care and family support and an extensive range of training and work related courses.
	Since opening Sure Start Stanley has worked toward improving the quality of life for local families. The number of women smoking during pregnancy has fallen from 36 per cent. to 28 per cent.; the usage of libraries by young children and their families is 7 per cent. above the national average; there has been a significant improvement in the personal and social development of children at school-age. The programme has contacted 869 children out of the total of 943 under 5s in the catchment area and has seen 100 per cent. of newborns within two months of birth.
	There is strong parental involvement in this programme through the Parent Communications Group, (a decision-making group of 18 parents), training programmes facilitated by Sure Start Stanley (340 training places taken up by parents) and parents involved as volunteers delivering a range of Sure Start activities and services.
	Sure Start Chester-le-Street was approved as a local programme in April 2001 and has a semi rural catchment area. It supports around 800 young children living in the Chester West area and surrounding villages. The local programme provides a range of services from its main centre including: high quality daycare, parent and toddler and crèche facilities; successfully integrated health services and a wide range of work based training courses.
	Sure Start Chester-le-Street is working toward delivering a rotating service to the outlying villages within its boundary to ensure regular access to Sure Start activities and services for those families living in remote areas.
	The local programme has been successful in improving the quality of life for young children and their families. Following the programme being established, breastfeeding has increased by 5 per cent., a storyline and Bookstart service has promoted the use of libraries by 100 per cent. and a successful baby massage service has led to an extension of the programme to include baby yoga and training for parents for them to deliver the service in the future.
	There is strong parental involvement in Sure Start Chester-le-Street. A Parents' Committee (14 elected parents) is represented on the Management Committee (two parents) and Partnership Committee (two parents), the decision making bodies for this local programme. Parents are actively involved in a childcare NVQ level 2/3 training programme run jointly by Sure Start Chester-le-Street and The Bridge, a local women's charity.
	Durham North has six neighbourhood nurseries. Durham city council is developing four children's centres from these settings that are delivering 169 integrated early learning with childcare places. Around 700 three-year-olds and 830 four-year-olds are receiving free nursery education in maintained nursery and primary schools and other maintained schools.
	The Sure Start local programmes have received DfES funding of £2,286,323 revenue and been allocated £2,075,000 in capital grants since being opened in October 2000 and April 2001 respectively. The neighbourhood nurseries have been allocated a total revenue grant of £777,062 and have received a total of £255,528 in capital grants.
	These programmes are developing into children's centres and will contribute towards achieving our goal of a children's centre in every community by 2010.
	A well thought-through careers advice service has enabled 49 parents to complete the Parent Employability Programme.

Unauthorised Absence (London)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many half-days have been lost owing to unauthorised absence of pupils in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in each year since 2002–03 (i) in absolute terms and (ii) as a proportion of the total number of half-days.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		Unauthorised absence in primary and secondary schools in Greater London
		
			  Academic year 2002/03 Academic year 2003/04 
			  Number of half days missed Percentage half days missed Number of half days missed Percentage half days missed 
		
		
			 Greater London 2,671,594 1.02 2,665,298 0.99 
			 Barking and Dagenham 119,169 1.60 121,981 1.60 
			 Barnet 87,718 0.74 99,017 0.83 
			 Bexley 50,333 0.51 74,947 0.71 
			 Brent 57,691 0.61 68,193 0.70 
			 Bromley 87,561 0.73 96,235 0.78 
			 Camden 55,645 1.14 42,197 0.84 
			 Croydon 110,841 0.87 119,055 0.92 
			 Ealing 48,907 0.49 49,137 0.48 
			 Enfield 173,070 1.44 140,460 1.11 
			 Greenwich 166,073 1.85 180,309 1.94 
			 Hackney 105,774 1.62 90,997 1.40 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 48,180 1.19 49,281 1.16 
			 Haringey 129,538 1.63 122,052 1.41 
			 Harrow 25,072 0.32 22,373 0.28 
			 Havering 37,431 0.39 40,453 0.41 
			 Hillingdon 111,853 1.10 100,667 0.97 
			 Hounslow 95,439 1.11 101,909 1.16 
			 Islington 80,662 1.36 70,282 1.14 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 24,846 0.97 16,707 0.62 
			 Kingston upon Thames 17,616 0.35 13,147 0.27 
			 Lambeth 62,317 0.92 59,449 0.82 
			 Lewisham 136,429 1.57 140,500 1.55 
			 London, City of 0 0 152 0.29 
			 Merton 41,819 0.77 43,868 0.76 
			 Newham 150,817 1.29 117,667 0.94 
			 Redbridge 76,663 0.73 90,365 0.85 
			 Richmond upon Thames 56,648 1.09 57,358 1.04 
			 Southwark 157,226 1.75 155,229 1.66 
			 Sutton 35,024 0.46 39,458 0.51 
			 Tower Hamlets 138,820 1.56 141,381 1.53 
			 Waltham Forest 81,085 0.90 100,796 1.07 
			 Wandsworth 52,766 0.78 43,182 0.66 
			 Westminster, City of 48,561 1.08 56,494 1.18 
		
	
	Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. It includes pupils who are late or who take time off with parents' consent—for example for a holiday which the school will not authorise.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Business Rates

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress with the business rate property revaluation.

Nick Raynsford: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has successfully completed the revaluation of all business properties. The draft rating lists were published, as planned, on 1 October 2004. At the same time, as part of a comprehensive programme to make more information available to ratepayers, a summary valuation (an explanation of how the valuation is determined) was issued for the bulk of the properties. This was sent to many ratepayers and made available on the VOA website. Final lists have been given to billing authorities enabling them to issue the rate bills for 1 April 2005 using the new valuations.

Departmental Policies (Hull, North)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Kingston-upon–Hull, North constituency, the effects on Kingston-upon–Hull, North of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Yvette Cooper: Along with other Government Departments, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to improving the lives of people across the whole of the UK. For example, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is determined that everyone should have the opportunity to have a decent home, and since 1997 we have reduced the number of non-decent homes nationally by one million.
	North Hull Housing Action Trust, which operated between 1991 and 1999, invested £109 million of public funds to modernise 2,083 homes, provide community facilities and services, promote training and employment initiatives and undertake environmental improvements in the North Hull area.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides grant funding that benefits the Kingston-upon–Hull, North constituency through a number of programmes.
	For example over the period 2001–06, Kingston-upon-Hull has been allocated over £39 million Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) resources to help the local authority, in collaboration with the Local Strategic Partnership, improve services in the most deprived neighbourhoods in the area.
	More broadly, since 1997 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been able to increase the total amount of government grant given to local authorities by £22.6 billion. This is a 33 per cent. increase in real terms. Kingston-upon-Hull has received an average annual increase in formula grant since 1997 of 3.7 per cent.
	The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at: http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk./.

Faith-based Volunteers

Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he gives to local authorities regarding the funding of voluntary projects run by churches and religious groups.

Nick Raynsford: Although the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not formally guide local authorities on funding of voluntary projects run by churches and religious groups, its position on this issue remains as outlined in the Local Government Association's "Faith and community—a good practice guide for local authorities". The "Compact: Community Groups Code" also sets out a position on funding for faith communities agreed within the Compact process which the Government endorses.

Housing

Martin Salter: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many units were built as part of each affordable housing scheme funded in Reading, West in each of the last three years; and how many units in each scheme are for key workers.

Keith Hill: The Housing Corporation records affordable housing schemes by type of funding, Housing Association, site and whether or not the housing is for key workers. Thus key worker housing and non-key worker housing are identified as separate schemes even if they are built in close proximity in the same or different years.
	A summary of affordable dwellings built in Reading local authority area, which includes Reading, West, for the last three years for which data are available is given in the following table.
	
		Affordable housing in Reading 2001–02 to 2003–04
		
			  Number of schemes Number of units 
		
		
			 2001–02   
			 Non-key worker 22 157 
			 Key worker 4 4 
			 Total 26 161 
			
			 2002–03   
			 Non-key worker 17 138 
			 Key worker 41 41 
			 Total 58 179 
			
			 2003–04   
			 Non-key worker 38 250 
			 Key worker 104 249 
			 Total 142 499 
		
	
	Source:
	Housing Corporation South East
	In 2001–02 and 2002–03 the key worker housing was constructed under the Starter Homes Initiative and individual dwellings were recorded as separate schemes. In 2003–04 the key worker housing built in the local authority area consisted of 94 dwellings under the Starter Homes Initiative and recorded as separate schemes together with 155 dwellings built in 10 schemes using Challenge Funds. These 10 schemes consisted of between eight and 26 dwellings. Funding for affordable housing for non-key workers are through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme, Challenge Fund, and Local Authority Social Housing Grant.

Housing

Martin Salter: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on funding plans for key worker housing in Reading, West.

Keith Hill: Affordable housing assistance for eligible key workers within the Reading, West area is available through the £690 million Key Worker Living programme.
	As at the end of January 2005, a total of £3,885,366 had been spent to assist 102 key workers in Berkshire to purchase homes through the "Homebuy" element of the programme. "Homebuy" allocations for 2005–06 within the Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Zone are still subject to confirmation.
	In addition it is anticipated that a further £11,306,959 will be spent on producing 396 new build units by March 2007. The following table breaks down these figures by local authority:
	
		
			  Homebuy Element New Build Element 
			 Local authority Number of key workers assisted Total grant expenditure (£) Number of units Total grant expenditure (£) 
		
		
			 Bracknell Forest 17 691,460 50 1,003,001 
			 Reading 29 1,051,530 247 7,770,871 
			 Slough 24 900,476 31 667,500 
			 West Berkshire 7 270,789 0 0 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 4 164,940 28 640,000 
			 Wokingham 21 806,171 40 1,225,587 
			 Total 102 3,885,366 396 11,306,959 
		
	
	Key workers may also benefit from the shared ownership and Homebuy programmes funded by the Housing Corporation to help existing social tenants and those on waiting lists into home ownership.

Housing

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will break down the expected building costs of building the Government's planned £60,000 homes by each estimated unit construction cost.

Keith Hill: In the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's "Homes for All" public service plan, launched on 24 January 2005, a competition was announced that would invite organisations to bid for the right to construct one or more new developments on English Partnerships owned sites. This "Design for Manufacture" competition aims to demonstrate that it is possible to build a home that reaches good standards of accessible design and environmental performance for £60,000.
	This target cost of £60,000 for constructing a home relates solely to construction costs. In setting this target, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister looked at a series of data sets, including those produced by RICS Building Costs Information Service and the Tender Price Index of Social Housing, as well as real-life case studies, to identify what might be a challenging but achievable figure for the core costs of constructing a home.
	One of the main purposes of the competition is to encourage greater efficiency in the construction process. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister anticipates that the creativity and innovation that exists within the industry will mean that this could be achieved in different ways. Thus it is not possible at present to break down anticipated dwelling building costs.
	It is important to note that competition entries will be expected to include a range of dwellings of different types and sizes. While it is anticipated that approximately 30 per cent. of all the dwellings built through the competition will meet a target construction cost of £60,000, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will expect all of the dwellings built through the competition to achieve equivalent cost-efficiency.

Local Government Ombudsman

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many complaints were received by the Local Government Ombudsman in the last year for which figures are available; and how many were upheld.

Nick Raynsford: In 2003–04, the last complete year for which figures are available, the Local Government Ombudsman received 18,982 complaints. Of the cases in which determinations were made, local settlements (where the council agrees to take action which the Ombudsman considers is a satisfactory response to the complaint) were made in 3,188 cases. Maladministration was found to have occurred in 180 cases. No or insufficient evidence of maladministration was found in 5,418 cases. In the remainder of cases, the complaints were not pursued, for example, because the complaint was outside the Ombudsman's jurisdiction, or the council had not first been given a reasonable opportunity to deal with the complaint.

Ordnance Survey Maps

David Rendel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria Ordnance Survey uses in deciding whether to include school names on maps it produces.

Yvette Cooper: Ordnance Survey (OS) routinely records all school names within its national large-scale mapping. On smaller scale OS Explorer and OS Landranger map series, textual information is reduced to maintain clarity and legibility, and school names are not normally shown unless space permits or unless a school constitutes a tourist attraction.

Planning Appeal

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the reason was for the delay in (a) determining the appeal against refusal to grant consent to fell an oak tree at 8 Langley Close, St. Ives, Ringwood, Hampshire and (b) publication of the decision letter.

Keith Hill: Tree preservation order appeals are processed by officials in the Government Offices for the Regions, who issue the final decision on behalf of the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister. There are several stages in the process, including an exchange of written representations between the appellant and the local planning authority, and arranging a site visit. In this case the appeal was submitted on 16 April 2004 and the site visit took place on 3 September 2004. There is currently a non-statutory timetable for appeal decisions to be issued within 16 weeks of the site visit. In this case a Planning Officer from the Government Office for the South West carried out the site visit on 3 September 2004, and he submitted his report on 9 November, with the decision being issued on 26 November, some 12 weeks after the site visit. While Government Offices would hope to be able to issue decisions within a shorter timescale whenever possible, this cannot always be achieved. In this particular case I do not consider there was any undue delay in determining the appeal.

Planning Appeal

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reason the inspector who carried out a site visit in connection with a tree preservation order appeal at 8 Langley Close, St. Ives, Ringwood, Hampshire on 3 September 2004 did not retain any notes taken during his visit; and if he will make a statement on the standard practice required in relation to the retention of site notes by the Planning Inspectorate.

Keith Hill: The inspector who held the site visit on 3 September was a Planning Officer from the Government Office for the South West (GOSW). Any notes that he took following the site visit were incorporated directly into the body of his report. He therefore decided that there was no longer any need to retain his notes once the appeal decision including the report had been issued. Government Office officials carrying out such site visits will in future be instructed to retain their site visit notes at least until the period for challenging the decision in the High Court has expired.
	It is the standard practice for Inspectors of the Planning Inspectorate to retain their notes of any site visit for one year.

Local Government Finance

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent progress has been made towards achieving the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that stable resources are available to local government.

Nick Raynsford: The local government Public Service Agreement targets require the improved delivery and value for money of local services. A key part of this will be to ensure that authorities are able to plan their budgets effectively. The introduction of the three-year settlements for individual authorities from 2006–07 onwards, as announced in Spending Review 2004, will greatly assist this process. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently consulting on the implementation of three-year settlements and will announce the outcome later this summer.
	It is also clear that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister should review some aspects of the grant distribution system before the 2006–07 settlement in order to ensure that the system continues to distribute grant in a fair way between authorities. We will be conducting this review in partnership with local government.
	The existing spending plans for 2006–07 onwards provide continued investment in local government which reflect the work to identify pressures and enable local government to deliver high quality services with low council tax increases. It builds on the 33 per cent. real terms increase in Government grant which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been able to provide to councils since taking Office. We will continue to work closely with local government to ensure that levels of central grant are based on a realistic assessment of the service commitment pressures faced by councils.

PRIME MINISTER

Miscarriages of Justice

Christopher Chope: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 194W, on Miscarriages of Justice, if he will place a copy of the transcript in the Library.

Tony Blair: Due to an administrative error, the date to which I referred should have been Wednesday 9 February. I have placed a copy of the press briefing in the Libraries of the House.

Official Visits

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the towns and cities in the UK he visited in 2004 in an official capacity; and what the purpose of the visit was in each case.

Tony Blair: In 2004, I undertook the following official visits within the UK:
	
		
			 Date (2004) Destination 
		
		
			 8 January London 
			 16 January London 
			 22–23 January Hexham 
			  Newburn 
			  Newcastle 
			 29 January Rickmansworth 
			 9 February London 
			 12 February London 
			 23 February Birmingham 
			  Edgbaston 
			 24 February London 
			 26–27 February Inverness 
			 4–5 March Teesside university 
			 11–12 March Liverpool 
			  Manchester 
			 18 March Enfield 
			  Milton Keynes 
			 5 April London 
			 19 April London 
			 2 May Cardiff 
			 4 May Leeds 
			 13–14 May Coventry 
			  Birmingham 
			  Gateshead 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne 
			  Bishop Auckland 
			  Chesterfield 
			 27–28 May London 
			  Manchester 
			  Bury 
			  Sheffield 
			 7 June Birmingham 
			  Wolverhampton 
			  Wednesbury 
			 15 June London 
			 7 July London 
			 19 July London 
			 22 July Durham 
			  Coventry 
			 31 August Harlow 
			 1 September London 
			 4–5 September Scotland 
			 9–10 September Middlesbrough 
			 13 September Brighton 
			 16–18 September London 
			  Kent 
			 25 September Crawley 
			  Brighton 
			 18 October Coventry 
			  Birmingham 
			 21–22 October Sedgewick 
			  Stockton 
			  Tees Valley 
			  Shildon 
			 9 November Falconwood Green 
			  Welling 
			 13 November Liverpool 
			 25 November Slough 
			 2–3 December Edinburgh 
			 8 December Belfast 
			 9, 10 December Sheffield 
		
	
	My visits covered a range of matters including health, education, criminal justice, the economy and meeting current and former members of the armed forces. I also travel regularly to my constituency.
	I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in Chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, "Travel by Ministers".

The Progressive Consensus

Julian Lewis: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the role of Government employees in the preparation of The Progressive Consensus; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Atomic Waste

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much atomic waste was produced in the UK in each of the last five years; and how much atomic waste in total was disposed of in the UK in each year.

Elliot Morley: The 2001 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory, the latest in the series published, gives predictions of the annual volumes of waste produced in the period 2001 to 2005 (The actual figures for 2001 to 2004 will be published in the 2004 Inventory, due out in autumn 2005). The first table presents the production broken down into the three main levels of waste i.e. High, Intermediate and Low, which are abbreviated to HLW, ILW and LLW. Varying amounts of the predicted annual amounts of waste have now been conditioned; in order to aid comparison the numbers presented are for all the waste in its conditioned form, expressed in cubic metres.
	
		Cubic metres
		
			 Waste level Predicted arisings 2001 Predicted arisings 2002 Predicted arisings 2003 Predicted arisings 2004 Predicted arisings 2005 
		
		
			 HLW 68 66 66 66 64 
			 ILW 3,026 3,671 3,678 3,754 3,648 
			 LLW 12,447 12,919 12,574 13,579 10,976 
		
	
	The HLW and ILW produced will have been stored and most of the LLW will have been disposed of routinely. The predicted disposal volumes of LLW, expressed in cubic metres, are set out in the following table:
	
		Waste LLW
		
			 Predicted disposal Cubic metres 
		
		
			 2001 10,360 
			 2002 10,834 
			 2003 10,676 
			 2004 11,759 
			 2005 9,396

Bio-energy/Biofuels

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received from the biomass study group on (a) barriers to developing bio-energy and (b) how barriers to developing bio-energy might be overcome.

Elliot Morley: The Biomass Task Force issued its first progress commentary on 14 February. The commentary has been sent to stakeholders and can also be accessed on the Defra website.

Bio-energy/Biofuels

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on further fiscal measures to encourage the production of biofuels.

Elliot Morley: The Department is in regular contact with Treasury Ministers to discuss a whole range of matters related to energy and environmental policy. In addition, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, meets regularly with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a wide range of matters that affect the business of the Department.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's policy is in respect of areas of grazing where it is too dangerous to graze cattle due to the high density of the badger population and the associated dangers of badger-to-cattle transmission of tuberculosis.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra has published guidance advising farmers to minimise direct contact between cattle and badgers, and contact between cattle and places where badgers may have left saliva, urine or faeces.
	The booklet "TB in Cattle—Reducing the Risk", includes the following guidance for farmers:
	identify areas which badgers use
	fence off the areas around badger setts to keep cattle out
	fence off badger dung pits
	avoid grass from badger latrines and field margins when cutting silage
	This advisory booklet has been available to farmers, free of charge, since 1999.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will undertake research to determine what measures would be needed to alter public perception of the culling of TB-infected badgers in order to facilitate a comprehensive culling programme of TB-infected badgers.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra wants to achieve a better understanding of the views of the wider public so these can be reflected in policy development. Public opinion around badger culling is one area of interest. Defra strives to ensure that its policies are based on the best available scientific evidence, and that they are cost effective and sustainable. Any future decision on badger culling will need to take account of the way the general public perceives badgers and acceptability of culling them to control TB in cattle.
	Defra-commissioned research at Reading University will give some assessment of societal values ascribed to changes in badger populations. We will consider the report of this work, expected shortly, and undertake further work on informing and assessing public opinion.

Bovine TB

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress on tests for a vaccine for bovine TB using the BCG vaccine; and whether she expects the vaccine to be applicable to badgers.

Ben Bradshaw: The research programme for producing an effective vaccine remains broadly in line with the timetable outlined in the Krebs report (1997). This estimated:
	Years 1–5: Identification of candidate vaccines and development of differential diagnostic tests;
	Years 5–10: Experimental investigations of vaccination protocols;
	Years 10–15: Field trials.
	Vaccination of cattle with BCG remains a problem because it affects skin test readings. Work is in progress on a differential diagnostic test. The sequencing of the Mycobacterium bovis genome in 2002 has led to the development of an experimental test to distinguish between vaccinated and unvaccinated cattle, but more work is required to validate the test under field conditions. Defra is funding research at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, in collaboration with New Zealand workers, to experimentally vaccinate cattle with BCG and to differentiate vaccinated animals from infected animals. The current project is due to end in 2005. New research proposals taking the work forward on new candidate vaccines and neonatal vaccination are currently being appraised by independent referees. Future plans to look at the performance of vaccine candidates under natural infection conditions are also being drawn up.
	Collaborative research with the Republic of Ireland has shown that parenteral BCG vaccination provides a degree of protection against experimental challenge with M. bovis in badgers. Some work has already been done on requirements for a field trial. Further work is still required on vaccine delivery, immunological monitoring of effective immunisation of badgers and effect of exposure of non-target species. This work is addressed in the current research requirements for 2005.

Bovine TB

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will reconsider the decision to end the reactive element in the Bourne/Krebs bovine TB trials.

Ben Bradshaw: There is no evidence to suggest that the resumption of reactive culling would reduce the incidence of bovine TB in cattle. The ISO has continued to collect data from the reactive areas and recent analyses are consistent with results presented in late 2003, with the confidence limits providing no evidence for a beneficial effect of the reactive strategy over the time scale under study. Further detailed investigations based on the distribution of TB breakdowns in space and time are under way to investigate whether the observed increased incidence was linked to proximity to reactive culling. In addition, as further TB incidence data are obtained, the ISG will continue to analyse data from reactive areas. If the TB incidence rates in reactive and survey areas become more similar over time, this finding would indicate that the observed increase in TB breakdowns in reactive areas, compared with survey-only areas, was associated with reactive culling.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of whether pockets of M. bovis infection reported in wild deer in the Dulverton area of Exmoor are related locally to high levels of endemic infection in badgers; and whether isolates of M. bovis from both species share the same spoligotype.

Ben Bradshaw: During the period 1972 to 1998, none of the badgers from the Dulverton area that were examined by MAFF/Defra were found to be positive for bovine tuberculosis. The release of information relating to the TB status of badger carcases since the start of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial is not being made publicly available on the advice of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB.

Environment and Development (Ministerial Meetings)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the environment and development ministerial meeting scheduled for 17 and 18 March in Buxton, providing details of (a) the agenda and what aspects of the impact of climate change upon development will be discussed, (b) which environmental non-governmental organisations have been invited and will attend and (c) what the desired outcomes of the meeting are.

Elliot Morley: On 17 and 18 March, the Secretary of State for International Development and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will co-host the first G8 meeting of Environment and Development Ministers. The agenda will include action to tackle illegal logging, Africa and climate change, the recommendations from the Commission for Africa Report, biodiversity and Humanitarian Aid Reform.
	The Africa and climate change item will examine recommendations made in the "African Climate Report" published by my Department and the Department for International Development in December 2004 and seek agreement on ways in which these should be addressed.
	There will be a parallel outreach session, which will report back to the ministerial. A wide range of civil society groups, including environmental non-governmental originations from across G8 countries have been invited.
	The desired outcomes will be action by G8 partners to tackle illegal logging, and on Africa and climate change to highlight the importance of measures to reduce Africa's vulnerability to climate change.

Environment and Development (Ministerial Meetings)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her statement on 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1368, on climate change and the environment, which 20 countries will attend the round table discussion for Ministers; what the (a) date and (b) location of the meeting will be; what the agenda is for the meeting; what aspects of the impact of climate change upon development will be discussed; which environmental non-governmental organisations (i) have been invited and (ii) will be attending; and what the desired outcomes of the meeting are.

Elliot Morley: The Energy and Environment Ministerial Roundtable will take place at the Brewery, London, on 15–16 March 2005. The invited countries are: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the United States and the European Commission. At this point, most countries have confirmed attendance by at least one minister and in some cases two.
	In addition to participation by ministers, selected senior figures from international and non-governmental organisations concerned with energy and environmental issues have been invited.
	The round table will consider the challenges and opportunities for investment in sustainable and secure energy systems in a lower carbon world. The sessions will cover national and international policy drivers, national experience of and priorities for the development and diffusion of technology and how to accelerate these and the deployment lower carbon energy systems. The roundtable will focus on the key issues that were identified by national experts during the preparatory meeting, including sustainable energy and its development context.
	This new and innovative forum will enable us to share valuable experience and look at new ways of working together in the development and deployment of sustainable energy systems.

Emissions Trading (Brick Industry)

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the consequences for the brick industry if the European Commission does not ratify Phase 1 of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 3 March 2005
	The brick industry have made several representations on the effects of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme on their industry and these have been taken fully into account in our negotiations with the Commission on temporary exclusion from the scheme for Climate Change Agreement participants. If the Commission do not approve the UK's application to temporarily exclude Climate Change Agreement participants from Phase 1 of the EU scheme, the brick industry will join the scheme from 1 January 2005.
	If the European Commission did not approve the amended UK National Allocation Plan for Phase I (2005–7) of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, the Government would be unable to issue free allowances to installations covered by the Scheme. This would include operators of installations in the brick industry.
	Government are continuing its dialogue with the Commission with a view to finding a solution which addresses the concerns of both sides and which will enable allowances to be issued as soon as possible. While we cannot give a firm date at this stage, the Government envisage that the issuance of free allowances will be made well in advance of the deadline for surrendering allowances of 30 April 2006.

Energy from Waste

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the use of energy from waste.

Elliot Morley: Energy from waste is a sustainable waste management option that offers a solution for dealing with the residual waste that will be left after steps have been taken to reuse, recycle or compost waste.

Foot and Mouth

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many companies have not yet been paid by her Department for work on the foot and mouth epidemic;
	(2)  how many companies have gone to court to seek payment for work done during the foot and mouth epidemic; and how many have been settled (a) in and (b) out of court.

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claims arising from the foot and mouth outbreak lodged with the Department are awaiting payment.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to pages 36 and 37 of the National Audit Office report "Foot and Mouth Disease: Applying the Lessons—Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General HC184 Session 2004–2005 2 February, 2005".

Foot and Mouth

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which companies have disputed claims outstanding from the foot and mouth epidemic; and what amounts are involved in each case.

Ben Bradshaw: It is neither appropriate nor fair to identify the names of contractors with whom the Department is in dispute given that these are ongoing disputes, which are being concluded either through litigation or alternative disputes resolution procedures, or which are the subject of investigation by the relevant authorities.
	Although some contractors and their representatives have sought to publicise their disputes through the media for reasons unknown to the Department, others have chosen not to do so and no useful purpose is likely to be served by the identity of contractors being divulged in these circumstances.

Gangmasters (Licensing) Act

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to take action against those gangmasters who contravene provisions of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004.

Alun Michael: The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 gives the Secretary of State responsibility for enforcing the criminal offences set out in the legislation. These include the offences of operating as a gangmaster without a licence, using an unlicensed gangmaster and the possession or use of false documents.
	These offences will be brought into effect once gangmasters who require a licence have had the opportunity to apply for one. It will also be necessary for the Secretary of State to make regulations clarifying the checks labour users must make to establish the due diligence defence created by the Act. If the Gangmasters Licensing Authority makes early progress on specifying licence conditions and establishing the new licensing arrangements after its anticipated establishment on 1 April, it is expected that the new offences will be introduced mid 2006.
	A new team of enforcement officers will be appointed by the Secretary of State to enforce the criminal offences created under the Act. Enforcement officers will have wide ranging powers including the power of arrest, the right of entry and the power to obtain information or the production of records.
	The Act gives the Gangmasters Licensing Authority responsibility for ensuring that licence holders comply with the provisions of a licence issued to them. The Authority will set out how it intends to undertake its compliance role once it is formally established.

Institute for Animal Health

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she had made of the effects the restructuring at the Institute for Animal Health will have on research into (a) BSE, (b) milk quality, (c) streptococcal pathogenicity, (d) pestiviruses, (e) porcine immunology, (f) avian pox virus, (g) avian leucosis, (h) Marek's disease and (i) respiratory syncitial virus.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 3 March 2005
	In line with the evolving needs and requirements placed on such an institute the IAH management have developed a five-year strategy, within which decisions have been reached no longer to continue certain areas of work. This is to reflect changing priorities in part governed by financial constraints. Throughout the process of strategic planning the IAH management have been mindful to ensure that the Institute will be able both to maintain the depth of its research activity and to develop the financial capability to work on important new areas of science as they arise.
	With respect to work on BSE and more general TSE research, this remains of critical importance to the Institute, with approximately 20 per cent. of the research capability devoted to this area. The changes being made will not have a significant impact on the Institute's ability to deliver its core science around TSEs.
	In areas where it has been decided to cease or reduce work then there will inevitably be some effects but research on these subjects continues to be done by other groups in the UK or elsewhere.

Lard (North-west)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of shop stock levels of lard in (a) Chorley, (b) Lancashire and (c) the north-west of England.

Alun Michael: The Government does not collect any figures on shop stock levels of lard.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution her Department has made to the United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and what use she expects to make of the Assessment once it is published; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: In August 2004, the Department co-ordinated views on the second review of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) to the MA Secretariat from Government Departments and agencies. Defra also submitted reviews on the final synthesis reports in December 2004. In addition, a scientific adviser from my Department was a lead author of the chapter on policy implications (Volume II, Chapter 14).
	In 2001, DETR contributed £42,100 to the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) to enable the recruitment of a member of the MA technical support staff and to initiate assessment work for the MA. The MA will be published in stages. The overall findings of the report will be launched in London, and other major world cities simultaneously, on 30 March 2005. Seven synthesis reports, up to 120 pages each, will be published between April and September 2005. Four technical reports, 500–800 pages each, will be available in July 2005. An additional set of about 16 sub-global assessments will also be released separately from late 2005 to 2006. My Department will study and make use of relevant information as the different sections become available.
	The Assessment is expected to contribute to the process established by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for assessing progress towards the target set by the World Summit on Sustainable Development—to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

Salmon Farming

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value of the farmed salmon market was in the last year for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: The data are not held by the Department. However the farmed salmon industry in the UK is estimated to have generated some £300 million of turnover at "farm gate" value in 2002.

Energy Efficiency (SMEs)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons the interest-free loan scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises that install energy efficiency measures is cash-limited.

Elliot Morley: The Carbon Trust offers interest-free unsecured loans of between £5,000 and £100,000 to small and medium-sized businesses who are investing in an energy-saving project. The amount of money that can be offered under the loan scheme is governed by European "de minimis" state aid exemptions which limit the amount of state aid that an organisation can receive in a three-year period. The Carbon Trust is a private company, and decisions regarding the provision of funding by the Carbon Trust is a matter for its board.

Supermarkets (Dairy Prices)

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with supermarkets on prices for dairy products paid to farmers; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Price negotiations between producers and processors, or processors and supermarkets, are a private commercial matter in which the Government cannot and should not get involved, provided competition rules are respected. However, Ministers frequently meet representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain and are therefore aware of the issues. For example, my noble Friend Lord Whitty will chair the next Dairy Supply Chain Forum meeting on 2 March 2005. The Supermarket Code of Conduct is currently the subject of investigation by the Office of Fair Trading, which is expected to report shortly.

Warm Front (Christchurch)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the waiting time is for Warm Front heating installations in Christchurch constituency.

Elliot Morley: The target for completion of heating installations under Warm Front is 119 working days. The average waiting time for a Warm Front heating installation in the Christchurch constituency currently stands at 82 working days.

Wine

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  for what reasons the UK is withdrawing from the International Organisation of Wine and Vine (OIV); and by what mechanisms UK wine growers will be represented on the OIV in future;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the benefits to the UK wine market of membership of the International Organisation of Wine and Vine;
	(3)  what the cost to the UK of belonging to the International Organisation of Wine and Vine was in the last year for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: The costs of the UK belonging to the International Organisation of Wine and Vine (OIV) have been variable and have depended on the number of proposals under consideration within the organisation, the degree of UK involvement, the resources attached to that involvement, as well as the level of annual membership fees that have been set. Where the OIV chooses to hold its meetings, for example France or Australia, will also affect the cost. In 2003–04, the latest year for which figures are available, the meetings attended by the UK were in Paris alone, and the costs estimated to be about £25,000. A cost-benefit analysis of UK membership of OIV is not available but the UK's ability to produce, import and trade wine is not conditional on membership. Proposals emerging from OIV need to be implemented in European Community law in order to have practical effect in the UK, so our withdrawal from OIV will continue to ensure a consequence of reprioritisation of the Department's budgetary resources to focus public spending where it is most needed to meet Government objectives. The decision will not interfere with the UK continuing to play an active role in the development of European Community policy and legislation on wine and the interests of the UK wine industry and consumers are fully represented at that level.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Advertising

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many advertising contracts, and to what value, were signed by his Department in the periods (a) 1 September 2004 to 1 March 2005 and (b) 1 September 2003 to 1 March 2004, broken down by (i) television, (ii) radio, (iii) press, (iv) direct mail and (v) other advertising.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 2 March 2005
	No advertising contracts were signed during the periods (a) 1 September 2004 and l March 2005 and (b) 1 September 2003 to 1 March 2004.

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many women have been appointed in the Afghan cabinet; and what posts they hold.

Bill Rammell: President Karzai announced his Cabinet on 23 December 2004. It included two women: Dr. Masooda Jalal (Minister of Women's Affairs) and Sediqa Balkhi (Minister of Martyrs and Disabled).

Bangladesh

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Bangladesh concerning the safety of British nationals resident in Bangladesh.

Douglas Alexander: We have serious concerns about the security and law and order situation in Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi Government need to take effective action to bring those responsible for violence to justice. I made these points to the Bangladeshi Prime Minister in Dhaka on 21 December. The British high commissioner maintains a regular dialogue with the Bangladeshi authorities on these issues at a senior level, including on the implications for the safety of British citizens.
	The large majority of recent attacks have been directed at political and civil society rather than against British or other foreign nationals. There is a danger, however, that British citizens could get caught up in the growing number of indiscriminate attacks. We monitor the situation closely, our high commission maintains close contacts with the British community and we update our travel advice on a regular basis, most recently on 14 February. But we do not advise against travel to the country, other than against all but essential travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts because of the risk of being caught up in clashes between rival tribal groups, settlers and the military in that area.

Bangladesh

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment the High Commission in Bangladesh has made of the security situation in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We have serious concerns about the security situation in Bangladesh. Attacks using explosive devices have been taking place in locations throughout the country with increasing frequency. Some of these attacks have been targeted at high profile political gatherings; others have targeted cinemas, shrines, cultural events, markets and most recently the offices of NGOs. There has also been a marked increase in the number of discoveries of illegal arms and explosives. We monitor the situation carefully and make our concerns clear to the Bangladeshi authorities. I did so with the Bangladeshi Prime Minister in Dhaka on 21 December. The British High Commissioner maintains a regular dialogue on these issues with the Bangladeshi authorities at a senior level, emphasising the need to address the security situation effectively, with full regard to human rights, in order to bring to justice those responsible for such attacks.

Burma

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Burma about human rights in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: I met the Burmese Ambassador on 29 November 2004 and pressed for political reform, full respect for human rights and the need for all groups in Burma, including ethnic groups, to play a full part in national reconciliation.
	The UK works closely with its international partners to promote human rights in Burma, and fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary General's Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Professor Sergio Pinheiro.
	Human rights violations have been highlighted in successive UK co-sponsored resolutions on Burma in the United Nations General Assembly and in the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
	The UK played a key role in drafting last year's UN General Assembly Human Rights Resolution on Burma. The Resolution, adopted by the UN in December, condemned the many human rights abuses in the country, including against ethnic groups.
	Our Ambassador in Rangoon has drawn to the attention of the Burmese Foreign Minister the serious concerns expressed by hon. Members and Peers of both Houses about the question of human rights in Burma.
	We will continue to raise our concerns at every suitable opportunity.

Cambodia

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to promote (a) democratic pluralist governance and (b) civil society in Cambodia.

Douglas Alexander: Strengthening governance and civil society remains a key part of UK bilateral assistance for Cambodia. The UK is helping the Cambodian Government undertake critical reforms that aid this process particularly in areas such as transnational crime, public financial management, health services and strengthening local governance.
	For example, the UK is giving ongoing support to the Government to enable the elected Commune Councils to become increasingly involved in local planning of infrastructure and local services. This support also extends to district level where annual commune plans are shared between Communes, Local Government and Civil Society. We will continue to strengthen these important steps in local governance and encourage greater involvement of Civil Society.
	We hope that the political will needed to implement the necessary reform will be forthcoming. I raised this issue with the Cambodian Minister of Justice, Mr. Ang Vong Vathana, on 27 January. Our ambassador in Phnom Penh also raised it with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on 1 February.
	We will continue to encourage the Government of Cambodia to take concrete action towards reform and provide the practical support to help them do so.

Departmental Staff (Cancer)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policies his Department has in place for supporting employees with cancer.

Douglas Alexander: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) considers every case based on individual need. Our occupational health doctors advise on what adjustments should be considered. Both in the UK and overseas, we encourage flexible working practices and other adjustments during cancer treatment. The Sickness Absence policy is in keeping with Health and Safety Executive best practice and, once in remission, cancer patients can benefit from the FCO Return to Work Programme which allows for gradual return (at full pay) to full-time work.
	The FCO follows general civil service practice on generous provision of sick absence on full (six months) and half (six months) pay. In some cases, officers who are still unable to work after 12 months may receive pay at an abated rate until their return to work.
	The FCO also has a 24-hour, free Employee Assistance Programme available to all employees worldwide which provides a range of advice and support, from psychological support through to practical advice on entitlements and care arrangements.

China (Military Technology)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to develop a transatlantic consultative mechanism to prevent the transfer of sensitive military technology from the EU to China.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 28 February 2005
	In December 2004 the European Council discussed the EU Arms Embargo on China. The UK and partners invited the Luxembourg Presidency of the EU to take forward work on the review of the embargo. This is ongoing. Until the review process is complete, the Government continue fully to implement the Arms Embargo.
	The Government are in favour of dialogue and consultations with EU partners and other close allies which might provide them with more information on which to take defence export licensing decisions under the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. This principle applies to China as it does to any other country. There have been no formal discussions or proposals within the EU about a transatlantic consultation mechanism with respect to China, although there have been contacts between officials in several member states on this subject.

China (Military Technology)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations he has received from his EU counterparts regarding the development of a transatlantic consultative mechanism to prevent the transfer of sensitive military technology from the EU to China;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts regarding the development of a transatlantic consultative mechanism to prevent the transfer of sensitive military technology from the EU to China.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 28 February 2005
	The Government are in favour of dialogue and consultations with EU partners and other close allies which might provide them with more information on which to take defence export licensing decisions under the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. This principle applies to China as it does to any other country. There have been no formal discussions or proposals within the EU about a transatlantic consultation mechanism with respect to China, although there have been contacts between officials in several member states on this subject.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reply to the letter of 6 December 2004, reference 184348/04, from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 3 March 2005
	I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in replying. A reply to his letter of 6 December was not issued due to a misunderstanding about whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the Department for Constitutional Affairs would respond. A reply will be sent forthwith.

Europe Day

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance has been issued to UK embassies in the EU regarding the celebration of Europe Day on 9 May.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 3 March 2005
	None.

Indonesia

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of Papuans killed in civil conflict in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We are not aware of any official figures for those killed in Papua over the last 10 years.

Iran

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written answer of 23 February 2005, Official Report, column 621W, on Iran, and the oral answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) of 9 February 2005, Official Report, column 1496, what the E3 have agreed with Iran following the (a) working groups on political/security issues meeting in Geneva on 9 to 11 February and (b) working group on technology co-operation meeting on 8 February.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 3 March 2005
	These working groups, and one on nuclear issues, were set up under the agreement between Iran and the UK, France and Germany on 15 November 2004. Their aim is to agree long-term arrangements for Iran's nuclear programme based on objective guarantees that the programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes; and they provide for co-operation in other areas. The groups meet every three or four weeks in Geneva. The group on political and security issues has discussed, for example, export controls, counter-narcotics co-operation and other subjects of mutual interest. The working group on technology and co-operation is looking at issues in a range of economic sectors. But in view of the need to build mutual confidence and trust, the two sides have agreed not to disclose details of the discussions, which are continuing.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials in his Department have tendered their resignation citing the war in Iraq as their reason for doing so.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 3 March 2005
	Two Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have tendered their resignation citing the war in Iraq as the reason for doing so.

Lebanon

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Lebanese Government about the treatment of Palestinian refugees.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 1 March 2005
	Our ambassador in Beirut raises the situation of the Palestinian refugees with the Lebanese authorities on a regular basis. In the context of the right of return for all Palestinians, subject to final status negotiations, Lebanon restricts Palestinian refugees from settling permanently in Lebanon. We have raised our concerns that this policy places restrictions on the civil and social rights of Palestinian refugees by limiting, for example, their access to education and employment.

North Korea

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the re-establishment of the six-country discussions on north Korea.

Bill Rammell: The Government have no direct involvement in the six-party talks process. We follow developments closely as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, as a Depositary State of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and as a member of the European Union. We are also in direct and regular contact with all the parties involved in the six-party talks process, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We have urged the north Korean authorities to reconsider their suspension and we very much hope that the talks will be resumed as soon as possible.

North Korea

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the trend in the level of suppression of dissidents in north Korea in recent months; and what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese Government on this matter.

Bill Rammell: We have no information on the level of suppression of dissidents in north Korea in recent months. We have raised the matter of north Korean refugees in China on a number of occasions with the Chinese Government, most recently during the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing in November 2004. We continue to urge China to observe its obligations under the 1951 Convention.

Russia

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what programmes his Department has in place to encourage the establishment of democratic institutions in Russia.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has spent over £900,000 this financial year on projects that cover democracy, human rights and governance issues in Russia.
	One of the larger projects, for example, aims to improve the interaction between local government and local media. Another is contributing to the process of reform of regional-level public administration, intended to improve standards in public life.
	Other projects include training for small independent media companies and a project to liberalize new legislation on alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors.
	Funding for the financial year 2005–06 is currently under discussion. The focus in Russia will be on increasing respect for the rule of law and freedom of expression, both of which are critical to developing democracy and civil society.

Student Visas

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of charges for applications for student visas on the number of overseas students applying to universities in Scotland.

Chris Mullin: The fees for applying for entry clearance in order to study in the UK are set at £36 in order to recover the cost of processing the application without burdening the taxpayer. They have not risen since 2002 and are currently under review.
	While statistics are available only for entry clearance to the UK as a whole and not by area, applications to study in the UK have increased year by year since 2000. I refer the hon. Member to the reply below. (UIN 220332).

Student Visas

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications were made for student visas to study in each country of the UK in each year since 2000; and how many student visas were issued in each year since 2000, broken down by country of study in each year.

Chris Mullin: Statistics are available only for entry clearance to the UK as a whole and not by area.
	As of March 2001, UK visas, the department responsible for entry clearance matters arising overseas, began providing statistics by financial year. Before this, statistics were provided by calendar year.
	The number of those applying to study in the UK and issued entry clearance since 2000 is as follows:
	
		Number
		
			  Applications received Issued 
		
		
			 January 2000–December 2001 125,239 99,559 
			 March 2001–April 2002 151,524 121,466 
			 March 2002–April 2003 181,905 128144 
			 March 2003–April 2004 225,239 146,736 
		
	
	These figures are publicly available on the UK visas website (www.ukvisas.gov.uk). Figures for 2004–2005 are not yet available.

Student Visas

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was raised from charges for applications for student visas from students studying or seeking to study in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland in each year since 2000.

Chris Mullin: Statistics are available only for entry clearance to the UK as a whole and not by area.
	The overseas entry clearance operation is required to function on a full cost recovery basis and is therefore non-profitable. The student visa fee is calculated to ensure that it covers the cost of the work involved in processing the application. The charge for a student visa application is currently £36 irrespective of factors such as the duration of the course, where the student applied for entry clearance overseas or where they intend to study in the UK. The fee was last raised in 2002 and the level of visa fees is currently under review.

Student Visas

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to remove charges for student visa applications for students studying or seeking to study in Scotland.

Chris Mullin: No. Visa fees are set in order to recover the costs of issuing visas overseas. The overseas entry clearance operation is not funded from general taxation but operates on a full cost recovery basis. Visa fees are related to the amount of work involved in issuing them.

UN Security Council (Japan)

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Japan's aspiration to become a member of the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has frequently made clear, most recently during his visit to Japan on 19–20 January, we support Japanese aspirations to become a permanent member of an enlarged Security Council.
	Japan is currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council and we are working closely with our Japanese colleagues.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Staff (Cancer)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what policies his Department has in place for supporting employees with cancer.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has a range of measures in place to assist employees who are sick with cancer or have other serious illness. These include paid certificated sick leave of up to six months on full pay and up to a further six months on half pay, depending on the circumstances; access to our Welfare and Counselling and Occupational Health Services, and the possibility of phased arrangements for a return to work following any period of prolonged absence.

Iran

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department plans to provide for victims of the recent earthquake in Iran.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member for Newark to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr. Simmonds) on 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1065W.

Mine Clearance

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in what countries his Department is funding mine clearance.

Hilary Benn: During the current financial year (2004–05), DFID is supporting bilateral demining projects in the following countries:
	Afghanistan
	Angola
	Cambodia
	Georgia and Abkhazia
	Iraq
	Laos
	N. Caucasus
	Somaliland
	Sri Lanka
	Sudan

Palestine

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the amount of Palestinian (a) arable land and (b) water resources which are now on the Israeli side of the separation barrier.

Hilary Benn: UN reports last year estimated that around 157,000 acres of land, some 11.5 per cent. of the West Bank and home to over 93,000 Palestinians would lie between the completed separation barrier and the 1949 Armistice Line (excluding East Jerusalem). This land includes some of the West Bank's richest agricultural land and covers part of the aquifer system which is a major source of water resources for the West Bank. The barrier also affects Palestinian access to groundwater wells in the West Bank which had previously supplied water for both drinking and agriculture. Precise figures on this are not available. The proposed route of the barrier has recently been altered by the Israeli Cabinet in response to calls from the international community and the Israeli judicial system to minimise the impact on Palestinian livelihoods. There has been no authoritative analysis yet of the impact of the changes. While some improvement is expected there will continue to be inevitable and significant disruption to the lives of Palestinians living near the route of the barrier.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to deliver improved effectiveness of UK and international support for conflict prevention by addressing long-term structural causes of conflict, managing regional and national tension and violence, and supporting post-conflict reconstruction, where the UK can make a significant contribution, in particular Africa, Asia, Balkans and the Middle East, by 2008 will be met;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to improve trading opportunities for developing countries and a more competitive Europe will be met by 2008;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that the EU secures significant reductions in EU and world trade barriers by 2008 will be met;
	(4)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that 90 per cent. of eligible heavily indebted poor countries committed to poverty reduction that have reached decision point by the end of 2005 received irrevocable debt relief by the end of 2008 will be met.

Hilary Benn: These four questions relate to targets in the Department for International Development's Public Service Agreement (PSA) for the period 2005 to 2008. This PSA will be implemented from 1 April 2005. Progress against the targets will first be assessed in DFID's Autumn Performance Report 2005 (which we expect to be published in December 2005).
	DFID also has targets relating to conflict prevention, trade and debt relief in its 2003–06 PSA. Progress against these targets has been assessed twice-yearly in DFID's Autumn Performance Reports and Departmental Reports. The most recent analysis of performance against DFID's PSA targets was published in the Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance against all 2003–06 PSA targets and sub-targets will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of EC Overseas Development Assistance to low-income countries from 38 per cent. to 70 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that 75 per cent. of eligible heavily indebted poor countries committed to poverty reduction receive irrevocable debt relief by 2006 will be met;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of his Department's bilateral programmes evaluated as successful by 2006 will be met;
	(4)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of his Department's bilateral programme going to low-income countries from 78 per cent. to 90 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(5)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to secure improved trading opportunities between the UK and developing countries by 2005 will be met;
	(6)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to secure agreement to a significant reduction in trade barriers by 2005 will be met;
	(7)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to work with international partners to make progress towards the UN Millennium Development Goals;
	(8)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the impact of EC external programmes on poverty reduction;
	(9)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of 15 to 24-year-old pregnant women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa from 16 per cent. by 2006;
	(10)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school in Asia from 87 per cent. to 94 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(11)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in South Asia from 42 per cent. to 32 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(12)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa from 48 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(13)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school in sub-Saharan Africa from 89 per cent. to 96 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(14)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of births attended by skilled birth attendants in Asia from 39 per cent. to 57 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(15)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the cure treatment rate of tuberculosis to above 85 per cent. in Asia by 2006 will be met;
	(16)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the detection rate of tuberculosis to above 70 per cent. in Asia by 2006 will be met;
	(17)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the prevalence rate of HIV amongst vulnerable groups in Asia to below 5 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(18)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the under-five years mortality rate of girls and boys in Asia from 92 to 68 per 1,000 live births by 2006 will be met;
	(19)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase primary school enrolment in Asia from 95 per cent. to 100 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(20)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in East Asia and the Pacific from 15 per cent. to 10 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(21)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to support the effective implementation of the G8 Action plan for Africa;
	(22)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the number of people whose lives are affected by violent conflict in sub-Saharan Africa by 2006;
	(23)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to improve the effectiveness of the UK contribution to conflict prevention and management in sub-Saharan Africa;
	(24)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of births attended by skilled birth attendants in sub-Saharan Africa from 49 per cent. to 67 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(25)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the under-five years mortality rate of girls and boys in sub-Saharan Africa from 158 to 139 per 1,000 live births by 2006 will be met;
	(26)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase primary school enrolment in sub-Saharan Africa from 58 per cent. to 72 per cent. by 2006 will be met;

Hilary Benn: Details of the Department for International Development's performance against its 2003–06 Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets are published twice a year, in the Autumn Performance Report (December) and the Departmental Report (April). The most recent analysis of performance against DFID's PSA targets was published in the Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance against all the PSA targets and sub-targets will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to improve the effectiveness of the humanitarian aid system;
	(2)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to improve the effectiveness of the UN agencies.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's 2003–06 Public Service Agreement does not have PSA targets as specifically worded in these questions. However, we do monitor improvements in the institutional effectiveness of 12 multilateral agencies, as an indicator of progress against the following sub-target:
	"Work with international partners to make progress against the United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals".
	The 12 agencies monitored include the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and seven United Nations agencies.
	The most recent analysis of performance against this PSA sub-target was published in the Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to enhance partnership at the country and regional level to ensure that international policies support African development;
	(2)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to enhance partnership at the country and regional level to increase the effectiveness of aid in African development;
	(3)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the effective response of multilateral agencies to conflict and humanitarian crises;
	(4)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the impact of multilateral agencies in reducing poverty.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's 2003–2006 Public Service Agreement does not contain targets as worded in these questions. However, we do have sub-targets that relate to the subject matter of these questions:
	Effective implementation of the G8 Action Plan for Africa in support of enhanced partnership at the regional and country level.
	Work with international partners to make progress towards the United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals.
	The most recent analysis of performance against these sub-targets was published in DFID's Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance against all the PSA targets and sub-targets will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to develop evidence-based, innovative approaches to international development;
	(2)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in North Africa;
	(3)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in the Middle East;
	(4)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in the Caribbean;
	(5)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in Latin America;
	(6)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in Central Asia;
	(7)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in Europe.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's 2003–2006 Public Service Agreement includes the following two objectives:
	Objective III—reduce poverty in Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa.
	Objective V—Develop evidence based, innovative approaches to international development.
	There are no specific PSA targets attached to DFID's work under these two objectives, and therefore progress is not assessed in the same way as for the five targets. Nonetheless, DFID provides details of its work in these areas in its annual Departmental Reports, which are available in the Library of the House of Commons and on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). An updated analysis of DFID's performance in these areas will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.

UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution his Department has made to the United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and what use he expects to make of the Assessment once it is published; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development (DFID) welcomes the forthcoming publication of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), the first public release of which will be at the end of March. We will look for opportunities to publicise the launch of this report internally to DFID staff.
	The MA focuses on ecosystem services and how changes in ecosystem services affect human well-being. Building on this, the MA will identify policy, institutional, or technological changes that could not only improve the management of ecosystems, but also contribute to development and to long-term sustainability.
	DFID has been involved in consultations with a number of MA working groups, providing comments and suggestions on the draft stages of the report. DFID also funded two co-ordinating lead authors through the provision of financial support to the International Institute for Environment and Development. One of the main financial contributors to the MA process has been the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to which the UK is currently contributing £103 million over four years from 2002. The UK is the fourth largest donor to the GEF.
	DFID uses the results and recommendations of reports such as the MA to inform thinking on issues of poverty-environment linkages and the continual development and improvement of tools to support work to integrate environmental considerations into development co-operation. DFID is particularly interested in the findings of the MA that seek to highlight effective policies and interventions that respond to environmental challenges while bringing financial and livelihood benefits to the poor. Examples of these options include payment for ecosystem services such as catchment management and forest certification schemes.
	DFID will also be encouraging those agencies involved in commissioning the report, including the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Secretariats of the Conventions (in particular the Convention on Biodiversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change), to use the analyses and results of this major study to inform their future policy and implementation work.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Alzheimer's Disease

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide those who suffer from Alzheimer's Disease with entitlement to disability living allowance from the date of their diagnosis.

Maria Eagle: No. Entitlement to disability living allowance is not linked to particular disabling conditions. It depends on either the extent to which a severely disabled person has long-term personal care needs and/or walking difficulties as a result of their disabilities, or on whether a person has a progressive disease from which their death in consequence of that disease can reasonably be expected within six months. In either case, there is no entitlement to the allowance for periods before the date on which a claim for it is made.

Benefit Payments (Angus)

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of each state benefit in total in the (a) Kirriemuir West, (b) Kirriemuir East, (c) Brechin West, (d) Brechin North Esk, (e) Westfield and Dean, (f) Forfar West, (g) Forfar Central, (h) Forfar East, (i) Brechin South Esk, (j) Montrose Ferrydean, (k) Montrose Central, (l) Montrose West, (m) Montrose Hillside, (n) Forfar South, (o) Letham and Friockheim, (p) Arbirlot and Hospitalfield, (q) Keptie, (r) Arbroath North, (s) Brothock, (t) Hayshead and Lunan, (u) Harbour and (v) Cliffburn wards of Angus council.

Chris Pond: The information is in the table.
	
		Benefit case loads at ward level within Angus local authority: August 2003
		
			  Income support Jobseeker's allowance Attendance allowance Disability living allowance Incapacity benefit State pension Minimum income guarantee Pension credit(5) 
		
		
			 Kirriemuir West 75 50 90 170 125 845 95 175 
			 Kirriemuir East 135 70 115 170 195 845 160 265 
			 Brechin West 80 55 105 150 115 970 130 195 
			 Brechin North Esk 110 65 120 170 160 925 135 235 
			 Westfield and Dean 100 50 85 175 170 735 90 160 
			 Forfar West 85 40 140 160 125 905 200 270 
			 Forfar Central 105 50 135 155 145 810 150 250 
			 Forfar East 145 60 105 200 200 815 155 255 
			 Brechin South Esk 155 80 70 145 165 530 110 185 
			 Montrose Ferryden 165 130 95 160 155 725 130 200 
			 Montrose Central 145 145 140 170 190 875 185 290 
			 Montrose West 140 80 100 170 150 865 125 190 
			 Montrose Hillside 100 75 60 170 155 645 100 155 
			 Forfar South 140 60 85 115 130 655 95 170 
			 Letham and Friockheim 85 50 85 170 180 805 95 170 
			 Arbirlot and Hospitalfield 120 80 90 150 145 805 95 145 
			 Keptie 100 80 120 190 155 905 170 265 
			 Arbroath North 80 65 70 145 145 630 90 130 
			 Brothock 295 140 85 260 275 585 140 230 
			 Hayshead and Lunan 150 80 80 210 220 655 125 195 
			 Harbour 290 170 200 310 335 840 315 415 
			 Cliffburn 210 145 140 220 240 750 195 290 
		
	
	(5) Pension credit caseload relates to December 2004.
	Notes:
	1. All wards based on census wards—those boundaries current as at April 2003.
	2. All benefit case loads at ward level are rounded to a multiple of five to protect the confidentiality of individual claimants.
	3. Pension credit replaced MIG in October 2003.
	4. Minimum income guarantee is defined as income support claimants and/or partners aged 60 or over.
	5. Income support claimants are defined as claimants aged under 60 who do not have a partner aged 60 or over.
	6. Incapacity benefit case load includes severe disablement allowance claimants.
	7. Housing benefit and council tax benefit data are not available at local authority ward level.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, 100 per cent. data August 2003

Child Support Agency

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applicants there were for the post of Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency; where and when the post was advertised; and what the cost of advertising the post was.

Chris Pond: holding answer 2 March 2005
	There were 56 applicants. The post of Chief Executive, Child Support Agency was advertised in The Sunday Times on 12 and 19 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 at a total cost of £19,500 plus VAT.

Disability Living Allowance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of disability living allowance receive carers allowance to look after another person.

Maria Eagle: As at August 2004, there were 23,700 disability living allowance recipients who were also receiving carer's allowance.
	Notes
	1. Figure taken from a 5 per cent. sample and therefore subject to sampling error. 2. Number has been rounded to the nearest hundred. 3. Only DLA cases in payment have been included.
	Source
	DWP Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Technical Committee on Information Processing met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: The EU Technical Commission met in Brussels on 23–24 September 2003 and 2–3 December 2003 (during the Italian presidency), 3–4 March 2004 and 24–25 May 2004 during the Irish presidency) and on 29–30 September 2004 and 24 November 2004 (during the Dutch presidency).
	Officials from DWP attended all meetings accompanied by an Information Technology (IT) Consultant from Electronic Data Services (EDS), which is the Department's IT service provider.
	The DWP officials were from International Pension Centre (part of the Pension Service) which is responsible for UK administration of the EU Social Security Co-ordination Regulations (Regulations 1408/71 and 574/72). The principal area of interest of the TC is to modernise the implementation of these regulations, particularly through the use of IT. The UK supports this objective, designed to produce efficiency savings and improve service to customers. An official from the Department of Health attended the meetings on 24–25 May 2004, 24–30 September 2004 and 24 November 2004.
	A series of Command Papers on prospects for the EU—Cm 6174 laid in April 2004, Cm 6310 laid in September 2004 and Cm 6450 laid in February 2005, cover the periods of the above presidencies and are available in the Library and on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written statement of 22 February 2005, Official Report, columns 16–18WS on the Financial Assistance Scheme, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing benefits (a) in full, (b) at the level that will be provided by the Pension Protection Fund and (c) at 80 per cent. of the core pension entitlement, but with the same minimum and maximum benefit cut-off as applies to the Pension Protection Fund, to (i) all the members of the schemes potentially eligible for the Financial Assistance Scheme listed and (ii) the 15,000 occupational pension scheme members who will be covered by the Financial Assistance Scheme provisions for those within three years of retirement age.

Malcolm Wicks: No such estimates have been made.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Inward Investment

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits to Northern Ireland by potential inward investors have been organised by his Department in the past four years; and how many of these have been to South Down.

Barry Gardiner: In the period 1 April 2001 to 31 January 2005 Invest NI organised 551 visits by potential investor companies to Northern Ireland. Of these, 373 included site visits to a number of parliamentary constituencies, with 15 viewing sites in the constituency of South Down.

Public Service Pensions

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Government's proposed changes to the local government pension scheme and the retirement age of school teachers; and what assessment was made of the consequent effect upon job prospects for newly qualified teachers.

Barry Gardiner: The Department of the Environment will be consulting on proposed changes to the local government pension scheme in Northern Ireland in the near future. This scheme covers education and library board staff and support staff in some schools but does not extend to school teachers.
	The Department of Education considers the review of the Northern Ireland Teachers' Superannuation Scheme (NITSS) as an opportunity for modernisation in a way that scheme members will value and also secures the long-term affordability of the scheme. We have therefore embarked upon a major consultation with interested parties, including individual teachers, to give them an opportunity to comment on a range of issues related to the future of the NITSS.
	In particular, the Department is looking at ways of increasing the flexibilities available to teachers over the way in which they plan for their retirement because the more attractive and flexible the NITSS is as a benefit to the membership, the greater the contribution it will make to recruitment of newly qualified teachers and retention of existing members.
	The consultation document can be found at www.deni.gov.uk

Targets

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many targets have been set in each year since 1997 by the Department; and, of these, which have been (a) met, (b) nearly met, (c) not met, (d) changed and (e) dropped.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 75W.
	Because of uncertainties surrounding political developments in Northern Ireland at the time, it was not possible for the Northern Ireland Office to publish its first PSA until the 2000 Spending Review.

Water Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost has been of the two consultation exercises on water reform in Northern Ireland; and what the (a) operational and (b) staffing costs of the Water Reform Unit have been from the exercise.

John Spellar: Total non-staffing expenditure incurred in respect of the 2003 public consultation on options for the reform of water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland amounted to £120,000. Total non-staffing costs in respect of the public consultation on the Integrated Impact Assessment of proposals for Water Reform, which concludes on 4 March 2005, have not been finalised, but are expected to be in the order of £90,000.
	Figures in relation to staffing costs of the Water Reform Unit in respect of these consultations could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Water Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are employed in the Water Service, broken down by (a) professional engineer, (b) technical and (c) administrative grades; how many there were in (i) 1998 and (ii) 2000; and how many staff have been made redundant in the Water Service in the last year, broken down by position and grade in each category.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan to Mr. Eddie McGrady, dated 4 March 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about how many people are employed in the Water Service, broken down by (a) professional engineer, (b) technical and (c) administrative grades; what the figures were in (i) 1998 and (ii) 2000; and how many staff have been made redundant in the Water Service in the last year broken down by types of positions and grade in each category (219428). I have been asked to reply as the issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	The information is not readily available in the form requested but details of the staffing levels in the 4 main staff disciplines in Water Service are set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Discipline Number of staff at 31 March 1998 Number of staff at 31 March 2000 Number of staff at 31 January 2005 
		
		
			 Professional and technology 589 579 528 
			 Scientific 62 66 64 
			 Administrative 397 396 444 
			 Industrial 1,157 1,072 930 
			 Total 2,205 2,113 1,966 
		
	
	No Water Services staff were made redundant in the last year.

Water Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will extend the consultation period in respect of the integrated impact assessment which was due to conclude on 4 March.

John Spellar: The publication of Water Service's second Asset Management Plan does not provide grounds for extending the 14-week consultation period on the Water Reform Programme Integrated Impact Assessment which ends on 4 March 2005.

HEALTH

A & E Services (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) Chorley and (b) Preston used accident and emergency services in each of the last three years.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not collected in the format requested. The information shown in the following table relates to the Lancashire teaching hospitals national health service trust, which serves Chorley and Preston. Data before 2002 relates to the two predecessor organisations—Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust and Preston acute hospitals NHS trust—which merged to form the Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust on 1 August 2002.
	
		Attendances at accident and emergency departments at Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust
		
			Quarter Total A and E attendances at Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust(6) 
		
		
			 2004–05 2 27,637 
			 2004–05 1 27,944 
			 2003–04 4 24,898 
			 2003–04 3 24,581 
			 2003–04 2 27,235 
			 2003–04 1 26,883 
			 2002–03 4 23,757 
			 2002–03 3 23,733 
			 2002–03 2 26,272 
			 2002–03 1 26,322 
		
	
	(6) Lancashire teaching hospitals includes both Royal Preston hospital and Chorley and South Ribble district general hospital. Separate data for the two hospital sites on attendances is only available prior to 2002–03.
	Source:
	Department of Health dataset QMAE.
	
		2001–02
		
			  Quarter  Trust Total A and E attendances 
		
		
			 4 Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust 11,007 
			 4 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS trust 14,115 
			 3 Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust 11,442 
			 3 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS trust 14,422 
			 2 Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust 12,118 
			 2 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS trust 15,289 
			 1 Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust 12,502 
			 1 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS trust 15,095 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health dataset QMAE.

Abortion (Essex)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors specialising in abortion procedure there are in the Romford and Havering constituencies.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not held centrally.

Alcohol-related Hospital Admissions (Children)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged between 11 and 15 years were admitted to hospital in (a) Greater London and (b) each London health authority owing to alcohol-related problems in each year since 2002–03.

Stephen Ladyman: Data are collected as counts of finished in-year admissions where there was a primary diagnosis or cause code for alcohol-related diseases.
	The table shows the number of cases by strategic health authorities (SHAs) in London, followed by a sum of the total, which constitutes the total for London.
	
		Counts of finished in-year admissions where there was a primary diagnosis or cause code for alcohol related diseases—age at admission: 11 to 15 years—national health service hospitals in London strategic health authorities
		
			 SHA 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Q04 North West London 54 86 
			 Q05 North Central London 66 63 
			 Q06 North East London 58 80 
			 Q07 South East London 59 69 
			 Q08 South West London 122 140 
			 Total London SHAs 359 438 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Alcohol-related diseases
	These are defined by a primary diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol (ICD10 code F10), alcoholic liver disease (K70) or toxic effect of alcohol (T51) or a cause code of accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol (X45).
	2. Finished in-year admissions
	A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.

Avian Flu

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the threat posed to public health in the UK by avian flu; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1080W.

Care Homes

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has conducted into the viability of full cost recovery of regulatory costs for care homes; and whether the information collected is publicly available.

Stephen Ladyman: This issue is dealt with in a full regulatory impact assessment, which will be published shortly, alongside the relevant regulations. Copies will be placed in the Library and will be available on the Department's website.

Children's Weight

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average (a) weight and (b) waist size was of children in each of the last 10 years.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 8 February 2005
	Figures from the Health Survey for England for the average weight for children are shown in the table. Children have been included in the survey since 1995. No data on children's waist circumference has been collected as a raised waist circumference has only recently been identified as a risk factor for children.
	
		Children's mean weight, by survey year, age and sex, children aged 0–15 with valid weight measurement -- Weight (kg)
		
			  Age 
			  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 
		
		
			 Boys  
			 Mean  
			 1995 — — 13.3 15.3 17.4 19.1 21.4 24.2 27.4 
			 1996 — — 14.0 15.2 17.4 19.3 21.7 24.4 27.4 
			 1997 — — 13.8 15.4 17.7 19.4 22.0 24.2 27.8 
			 1998 — — 13.3 15.3 17.4 19.3 21.6 24.3 27.5 
			 1999 — — (7)—; 16.7 18.2 19.3 21.9 25.5 28.5 
			 2000 — — (9)14.3 15.8 17.5 19.5 22.0 24.4 27.7 
			 2001 — — (9)13.43 15.3 17.1 20.5 22.1 25.2 28.8 
			 2001(8) (9)6.2 10.4 12.9 15.3 17.1 20.5 22.1 25.2 28.8 
			 2002 6.4 10.7 13.0 15.5 17.8 20.0 21.9 24.4 27.7 
			 2003 (9)6.9 10.6 13.1 15.9 17.6 19.7 22.7 25.3 28.0 
			   
			 Girls  
			 Mean  
			 1995 — — 13.0 14.8 17.0 19.1 21.6 24.3 28.4 
			 1996 — — 13.1 14.8 17.3 20.0 21.4 24.2 27.3 
			 1997 — — 13.0 14.8 17.2 19.1 21.3 24.4 27.6 
			 1998 — — 13.4 14.9 17.3 19.3 21.7 23.7 27.5 
			 1999 — — (9)13.0 15.0 16.7 19.4 22.1 24.6 28.4 
			 2000 — — (7)—; 14.5 17.5 19.9 21.8 24.3 27.7 
			 2001 — — 13.5 14.7 16.8 19.2 21.3 24.6 28.8 
			 2001(8) (9)5.8 9.9 12.7 14.7 16.8 19.2 21.3 24.6 28.8 
			 2002 6.0 9.8 12.6 14.8 17.4 19.6 22.1 25.0 28.7 
			 2003 (9)5.6 9.8 12.7 14.9 16.9 19.8 22.0 25.1 27.1 
		
	
	
		Weight (kg)
		
			  Age 
			  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 
		
		
			 Boys
			 Mean
			 1995 30.7 33.2 37.7 42.1 48.8 54.0 58.8 
			 1996 30.4 33.7 37.6 42.3 46.5 53.6 60.6 
			 1997 30.5 34.4 37.4 41.4 46.9 53.7 60.5 
			 1998 29.8 33.8 38.1 43.6 48.8 53.3 58.7 
			 1999 30.8 35.7 38.5 43.6 48.5 (9)53.8 60.0 
			 2000 30.0 34.8 38.8 43.9 47.5 (9)56.4 61.7 
			 2001 32.0 35.0 37.2 43.5 48.5 55.0 61.1 
			 2001(8) 32.0 35.0 37.2 43.5 48.5 55.0 61.1 
			 2002 31.1 35.9 39.4 44.0 49.2 56.7 61.9 
			 2003 32.6 35.5 40.2 42.9 49.6 58.5 60.7 
			 
			 Girls
			 Mean
			 1995 30.0 34.5 40.8 44.7 47.7 53.1 58.5 
			 1996 30.3 34.9 39.3 45.9 49.5 54.0 57.2 
			 1997 30.7 34.6 38.8 45.0 50.4 55.4 59.3 
			 1998 31.2 35.5 40.1 46.5 50.7 55.1 56.8 
			 1999 31.6 34.4 39.8 (9)46.3 49.9 (9)56.2 55.8 
			 2000 30.1 35.6 39.9 45.3 51.4 56.2 57.9 
			 2001 31.4 36.0 40.1 46.6 51.9 55.4 58.9 
			 2001(8) 31.4 36.0 40.1 46.6 51.9 55.4 58.9 
			 2002 32.2 36.4 42.5 46.0 50.9 57.5 58.3 
			 2003 31.5 35.2 40.9 46.7 51.0 57.0 58.9 
		
	
	
		
			  Age 
			  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 
		
		
			 Bases (weighted)
			 Boys  
			 1995 — — 65 140 145 147 161 143 145 
			 1996 — — 80 145 172 160 168 170 158 
			 1997 — — 109 229 226 217 230 238 258 
			 1998 — — 76 144 129 153 146 173 153 
			 1999 — — 25 64 70 74 69 82 69 
			 2000 — — 32 49 56 67 72 54 71 
			 2001 — — 51 95 149 124 132 108 112 
			 2001(8) 51 82 91 95 149 124 132 108 112 
			 2002 98 165 201 218 238 275 262 305 312 
			 2003 31 89 88 75 95 96 115 117 94 
			   
			 Girls  
			 1995 — — 61 131 177 148 157 129 139 
			 1996 — — 62 142 152 161 165 155 185 
			 1997 — — 99 232 234 232 228 246 243 
			 1998 — — 62 126 133 147 149 142 154 
			 1999 — — 37 77 74 71 75 75 63 
			 2000 — — 20 53 59 61 73 62 59 
			 2001 — — 65 100 119 130 121 113 144 
			 2001(8) 42 89 125 100 119 130 121 113 144 
			 2002 65 218 215 249 239 261 281 259 281 
			 2003 26 73 78 93 86 97 106 106 105 
		
	
	
		
			  Age 
			  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 
		
		
			 Bases
			 Boys
			 1995 138 140 128 142 140 132 134 
			 1996 153 161 142 143 150 152 155 
			 1997 237 220 228 226 216 207 196 
			 1998 163 147 150 139 115 127 117 
			 1999 78 77 82 69 69 59 68 
			 2000 70 66 71 67 69 52 62 
			 2001 123 117 112 148 123 132 98 
			 2001(8) 123 117 112 148 123 132 98 
			 2002 284 308 277 308 262 284 271 
			 2003 120 98 118 101 116 102 103 
			 
			 Girls
			 1995 139 144 147 136 120 135 125 
			 1996 144 141 159 140 142 122 118 
			 1997 244 251 224 209 192 198 181 
			 1998 122 138 161 135 105 146 123 
			 1999 85 61 69 58 68 67 60 
			 2000 55 63 59 55 74 61 68 
			 2001 138 136 141 117 122 104 131 
			 2001(8) 138 136 141 117 122 104 131 
			 2002 286 283 268 286 280 292 226 
			 2003 101 129 113 112 112 123 95 
		
	
	(7) The unweighted sample base for this category is too small for results to be shown.
	(8) In 2001, infant length measurement was included for those aged six-weeks to two-years.
	(9) The unweighted sample base for this category is below 50. Treat results with caution.
	Note:
	Age rounded to nearest integer

Cruse Bereavement Care

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was made available by his Department to Cruse Bereavement Care in each of the past five years for which figures are available; and what plans he has to increase the funding.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has provided Cruse Bereavement Care with funding over a number of years under the Section 64 General Scheme. Details of awards over the last five years are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Award Amount 
		
		
			 Development of regional support network £150,000 over three years from 1997 
			 Equal opportunities officer project £100,500 over three years from 1997 
			 Development of regional support for bereaved people and Cruse volunteers £120,000 over three years from 1998 
			 Quality care in bereavement £180,000 over three years from 1999 
			 Bereavement care—improving access £176,000 over three years from 2000 
			 Promoting bereavement awareness £90,000 over three years from 2001 
			 Service delivery plan to meet client need £150,000 over three years from 2002 
			 Cruse practice manual £25,000 over one year from 2002 
			 Core funding £125,000 over three years from 2003 
			 Bereavement training programme £138,000 over three years from 2004 
			 Core funding (top up) £80,000 over one year from 2005 
		
	
	The Department has no current plans to increase funding to Cruse. However Cruse, in common with other voluntary and community sector organisations, is able to apply for funding from the Department's Section 64 Scheme and any other Government funding streams.

DEHP Plasticiser

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the resolution by the European Parliament to restrict DEHP plasticiser in medical devices.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are aware of the European Parliament Resolution on the European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004–2010, which refers to the restriction of Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in medical devices except where such a restriction would have a negative impact on medical treatment. Medical devices are placed on the European Market in accordance with the provisions of the Medical Devices Directive. In meeting the relevant essential safety requirements, manufacturers must make an assessment that any risks are outweighed by the clinical benefits and that evidence of such benefits are provided.
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which is the body in the United Kingdom with oversight for the Medical Devices Directive, has ensured that appropriate manufacturer's representative bodies are fully aware of the implications of the directive as they apply to DEHP-containing medical devices.
	The Agency is also aware of, and is encouraging, manufacturers' efforts to find alternative material to phthalates, looking at ways of limiting exposure to DEHP and gaining a better understanding of DEHP toxicity

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1688W, on dentistry, how many dentists returned to NHS dentistry from a career break between (a) April 2001 to March 2002, (b) April 2002 to March 2003 and (c) April 2003 to March 2004.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 1 March 2005
	46 dentists returned to national health service dentistry and were members of the "Keeping In Touch" scheme between April 2003 and March 2004. Data is not available for the previous two years.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1688W, on dentistry, and the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison) on 9 February 2005, Official Report, column 1620W, on the "Keeping in Touch" scheme, what information he collects on the number of whole-time equivalent dentists being recruited as a result of the "Keeping in Touch" scheme.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 1 March 2005
	The Department collects information from the retaining and returning adviser in the dental postgraduate deanery on the dentist's date of return to work, the primary care trust where the dentist is working and the number of sessions worked.

Dentistry

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on dental registration rates.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 22 February 2005, Official Report, column 486W. We are undertaking the most far-reaching reforms to national health service dentistry since 1948, in order to make NHS dentistry more attractive to dentists.

Drug Rehabilitation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget is for drug rehabilitation in 2004–05; what allocation he has made up to 2007–08; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The pooled drug treatment budget for 2004–05 and the allocated funding up until 2007–08 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Amount (£ million) 
		
		
			 2004–05 253.4 
			 2005–06 299.4 
			 2006–07 423.8 
			 2007–08 478.4 
		
	
	It is estimated that an additional £200 million mainstream funding is being spent on drug treatment in 2004–05, but we are not able to estimate the mainstream spend in future years.
	These figures incorporate all six treatment modalities. These are day care; general practitioner prescribing; specialist prescribing; residential rehabilitation; in-patient detoxification and structured counselling. We do not have specific spend figures by individual treatment type.

Drug Rehabilitation

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department in the Standing Committee on the Drugs Bill on 3 February 2005, fifth sitting, Official Report, column 155, what progress has been made by (a) his Department and (b) the national treatment agency in advising (i) general practitioners and (ii) other prescribers to consider using opiate substitutes other than methadone.

Melanie Johnson: A decision to use buprenorphine or opiates other than methadone for opiate substitution treatment requires knowledge and understanding of the use of these drugs in the management of addiction, as well as their limitations. Such treatment would normally be initiated by a specialist or a general practitioner with additional competence in this area of practice.
	To support effective prescribing of a range of opiates, the Department has issued the clinical guidelines, "Drug misuse and dependence—guidelines on clinical management" (1999). The Department issued additional guidance on the availability of buprenorphine by instalment dispensing in 2001. In addition, the Department has funded the training of 800 GPs in a range of substitute opiates through funding of the Royal College of General Practitioners certificate course between 2002 and 2005.
	The national treatment agency (NTA) for substance misuse has produced clinical guidance, "Prescribing services for drug misusers" (Research into practice briefing No. 2, January 2003), that includes a review of the evidence base concerning a range of pharmacological treatments for drug misusers, including alternative opiate substitute drugs. Further clinical guidance, "Injectable heroin (and injectable methadone)—potential roles in drug treatment" (May 2003), also gives advice on alternatives to methadone substitution therapy.

East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey PCT

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of spending on acute services by the East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey primary care trust was spent at (a) Epsom and St. Helier, (b) Guildford, (c) Kingston, (d) East Surrey and (e) St. Peter's hospitals in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey PCT

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have become obese in the East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey primary care trust area in each of the past three years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Food Labelling

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards achieving a clear and simple contents labelling system for all prepared foods that includes essential nutritional information and an indicator of high, medium or low value in respect of fat sugar and salt content; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The recently published White Paper, "Choosing Health", contains a commitment to introduce a straightforward system of front of pack "signpost" food labelling that will help consumers to make healthier choices more easily.
	In November, the Food Standards Agency published the results of the qualitative phase of research to identify the preferred format for a signposting system. It is now planning quantitative research on the preferred formats, and will be consulting stakeholders on the study design shortly. The research is expected to include at least one format that rates the fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt contents of the food as "high", "medium" or "low".

Health Services (North Durham)

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses there were in North Durham (a) in 2001 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table. Data are supplied at strategic health authority (SHA) level as practice nurse data are not available by trust for 2001. 1
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff including practice nurses(10) in the County Durham and Tees Valley SHA area by organisation 30 September each specified year -- Headcount
		
			   2001(10) 2003 
		
		
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA total 8,600 9,084 
			 5D9 Hartlepool PCT 82 170 
			 5E1 North Tees PCT 138 307 
			 5J8 Durham Dales PCT n/a 213 
			 5J9 Darlington PCT n/a 131 
			 5KA Derwentside PCT n/a 147 
			 5KC Durham and Chester-le-Street PCT n/a 218 
			 5KD Easington PCT n/a 184 
			 5KE Sedgefield PCT n/a 170 
			 5KM Middlesbrough PCT n/a 335 
			 5KN Langbaurgh PCT n/a 218 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA n/a 1 
			 QDE County Durham HA 27 n/a 
			 QDP Tees HA 8 n/a 
			 RCA Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust 604 n/a 
			 RCJ South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1,658 n/a 
			 RR9 North Durham Health Care NHS Trust 1,139 n/a 
			 RTA South Durham Health Care NHS Trust 1,324 n/a 
			 RTC County Durham and Darlington Priority Services  NHS Trust 601 629 
			 RTR South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust n/a 2,296 
			 RVW North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust 1,348 1,237 
			 RVX Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust 1,200 882 
			 RXP County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals  NHS Trust n/a 1,946 
		
	
	n/a = Not applicable.
	Sources:
	Department of Health non-medical workforce census.
	Department of Health general and personal medical services statistics.

Hospital Debt

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals in England are in debt; by how much in each case; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	We have taken debt to mean the cumulative break-even position as reported in the final accounts of national health service trusts. We do not collect information at individual hospital level.

Imported Medicine

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much medicine the Government imported in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: In 2003, the United Kingdom world trade in pharmaceuticals was valued at £11.941 million for exports and £8.378 million for imports, which created a crude trade balance surplus of £3.563 million.
	This information is collected and published by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

Ministerial Visits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to visit Leicester general hospital.

Rosie Winterton: There are no current plans in my official diary to undertake a visit to Leicester general hospital. Should a request to do so be received in the Department, it will be given full consideration.

Mobile Phones

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's advice is on mobile phone use by under-16s.

Melanie Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 18 January 2005, Official Report, column 876W.

Independent Sector Treatment Centres

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contracts the NHS has entered into with private diagnostic and treatment centres.

John Hutton: holding answer 3 February 2005
	A capacity planning exercise was undertaken to identify the capacity needed by the national health service to continue to drive down waiting times for patients and to meet waiting time targets. The need for procurement from the independent sector arose following that exercise. Ten contracts for independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs) have been signed to date with seven remaining. Full business cases, confirming the activity to be commissioned from the independent sector have been signed off by primary care trust boards, as have final agreements. The local NHS is expected to manage referrals to ensure that extra capacity available from ISTCs is used.

Parliamentary Questions

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will provide a substantive reply to question reference 215855, tabled for answer on 10 February.

Rosie Winterton: I answered the hon. Member on 2 March 2005, Official Report, column 1226W.

Prosecutions (Non-entitlement to Treatment)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of civil action have been brought forward by the Counter Fraud and Security Management Service and its predecessors against those suspected of getting free treatment from the NHS to which they are not entitled since 1997; and how many of those cases have resulted in successful prosecution.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 24 February 2005
	The penalty charge was introduced in August 2001 as a civil fine for patients who wrongly obtain help with national health service charges for themselves or someone else. The penalty is five times the amount owed, up to a maximum of £100, plus the original unpaid NHS charge. If the penalty charge is not settled within 28 days from the date of posting, a surcharge will be applied. The surcharge is calculated as 50 per cent, of the penalty charge.
	Since the penalty charge was introduced, 164,133 penalty notices have been issued. Up to 9,000 cases are currently going through the debt recovery process. 9,954 cases have already been dealt with by judgments in county court. The rest have been paid or concluded without recourse to court proceedings. Repeat offenders are subject to criminal prosecution where that is appropriate.
	Five patients have been prosecuted under section 29 of the Health Act 1999 for obtaining free NHS treatment to which they were not entitled.
	The number of prosecutions is low as the penalty charge is found to be the most cost-effective way of dealing with high-volume but low-value fraud.

Renal Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to audit the implementation of the Renal National Service Framework;
	(2)  whether the measurable benchmarks set out in the Kidney Alliance/British Renal Society's Criteria for Success document will be utilised by the Healthcare Commission to audit the Renal National Service Framework.

Rosie Winterton: It is the role of the independent Healthcare Commission to assess whether health organisations' plans include programmes to deliver national service frameworks. The development of a national audit around the national service framework for renal services fits within that programme of work. The use of particular tools for assessments is a matter for the Commission.

Renal Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to increase the number of haemodialysis patients with permanent vascular access as opposed to catheters to 80 per cent.

Rosie Winterton: We launched part one of the national service framework (NSF) for renal services in 2004. It sets standards and identifies markers of good practice for kidney dialysis and transplantation. Standard 3 of the NSF identifies arteriovenous fistulas as the best form of long-term vascular access. It is for primary care trusts commissioning renal services to set priorities for local action based on the standards, quality requirements and markers of good practice set out in the NSF for renal services. We are supporting delivery through various programmes and national health service pilots, including two work force pilots focused on the organisation of vascular access surgery. When this work is complete, the results will be shared with the NHS.

Residential Rehabilitation

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's targets are for the number of residential rehabilitation places over the next three years.

Melanie Johnson: The Department has not set targets for the numbers of residential rehabilitation places in each of the next three years.
	The National Treatment Agency have conducted a needs assessment for Tier 4 Services, which includes residential rehabilitation, and this will be reporting this year. The findings of this assessment will be used to inform future service development.

Sickness Absence

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the numbers of sick days taken by staff in the Department.

Rosie Winterton: About two-thirds of the Department's staff have no recorded sickness absence, but, as part of the work we are currently undertaking on maximising attendance and managing absence the Department is considering the findings of the report on "Implementing the recommendations of Managing Attendance in the Public Sector" alongside other leading research to ensure best practice.

Smoking

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of adults aged 16 and over who have smoked in each year since 1975, broken down by gender.

Melanie Johnson: The prevalence of cigarette smoking is shown in the table.
	
		Prevalence of cigarette smoking among people aged 16 and over, by gender in England: 1976 to 2003
		
			  Men Women All persons 
		
		
			 Unweighted data  
			 1976 45 37 41 
			 1978 44 36 40 
			 1980 42 36 39 
			 1982 37 32 35 
			 1984 35 32 33 
			 1986 34 31 32 
			 1988 32 30 31 
			 1990 31 28 29 
			 1992 29 27 28 
			 1994 28 25 26 
			 1996 28 27 28 
			 1998 28 26 27 
			 
			 Weighted data
			 1998 29 26 28 
			 2000 29 25 27 
			 2001 28 25 27 
			 2002 27 25 26 
			 2003 27 24 25 
		
	
	Note:
	Until 2000, questions on smoking were asked biannually in the General Household Survey.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics—"Living in Britain: Results from the 1993 and 2003 General Household Surveys". Available at www.statistics.gov.uk/ghs.

Smoking

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of smoking on health in Liverpool.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 21 February 2005
	The estimated percentages of deaths attributable to smoking in primary care trusts (PCTs) in Liverpool are shown in the table. The total figures for England are given for comparison.
	
		Estimated percentages of all deaths attributable to smoking in Liverpool PCTs -- Percentage
		
			 PCT Male Female All persons 
		
		
			 Central Liverpool 27 18 22 
			 North Liverpool 28 21 24 
			 South Liverpool 24 15 19 
			 England 22 72 77 
		
	
	Note:
	The percentage is based on the annual average estimate of smoking-attributable mortality across 1998–2002 and the observed number of deaths from all causes, all ages for 2002.
	Source:
	Information in the table is from the data underlying the publication of "The Smoking Epidemic in England, November 2004"—The Health Development Agency (HDA). Available on the HDA website at www.hda.nhs.uk/html/improving/smoking_epidemic.html.

Staff Identity Passes

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of producing a staff identity pass was in the Department on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many staff identity passes have been reported lost or stolen in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The cost of materials in replacing a departmental staff identity pass is approximately £2.15 plus value added tax.
	Records of the number of staff identity cards reported lost or stolen are not available for the period requested.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experimentation

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the impact of the Human Genome Project on (a) the total number of animals, (b) the number of genetically modified mice and (c) the number of genetically modified primates, that will be used in the next few years.

Caroline Flint: It is assumed that the question refers to animals used in scientific procedures. It is not possible to estimate the total number of genetically modified animals that will be used in that way over the next few years as a result of the Human Genome Project. That will be largely dependent on strategic research and funding decisions by the funding councils and the private sector, and the nature and quality of the resulting scientific proposals. Any impact the Human Genome Project does have may be offset by a reduction in the use of non-genetically modified animals.
	During 2003—the latest year for which figures are available—genetically modified animals were used in 764,000 regulated scientific procedures representing 27 per cent. of all procedures for 2003 compared with 26 per cent. in 2002 and 8 per cent. in 1995. Rodents—nearly all mice—were used in 98 per cent. of these procedures. It is likely that this trend of a gradually increasing use of such animals over the last decade will continue as advances in genetic science open up new avenues of research, and this may well include work arising from the Human Genome Project.
	At present there is no use of genetically modified non-human primates licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Any applications for licences to conduct such work would be referred for advice to the Animal Procedures Committee.
	Whatever the impact of the Human Genome Project, we will continue, in administering the 1986 Act, to license use of animals only when we consider there is no alternative, and then only when both the number of animals to be used and any resulting suffering are minimised.

Child Poverty

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to achieve the Government's targets of (a) ending child poverty by 2020 and (b) halving it by 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 2 March 2005
	The Home Office is supporting the Treasury in meeting the ambitious targets this Government have set on child poverty. Children born into poverty are more likely to be victims of crime and more likely to offend. The Child Poverty Review highlighted the strong associations between youth crime, parental crime and child poverty.
	In order to tackle the poor outcomes associated with child poverty, and to improve the life chances of poor children, the Home Office has invested in a number of prevention programmes for children at risk of involvement in crime or substance misuse.
	To break the cycle of youth offending and deprivation, the Home Office Strategic Plan includes a commitment to increase youth crime prevention programmes. This includes multi-agency Youth Inclusion and Support Panels, targeting high-risk, children and their families, providing them with support and improving their access to mainstream services. It also includes the Youth Inclusion Programme, which targets the 13 to 16-year-olds most at risk of crime in 72 of the most deprived neighbourhoods. The numbers of both will be increased by 50 per cent. by 2008. We have also increased the coverage of the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSPs).
	Children living in poverty are a key risk group for substance misuse. We are targeting young people in the most deprived neighbourhoods at risk of substance misuse through "Positive Futures", a national sports-based social inclusion programme aimed at marginalised 10 to 19-year-olds. Positive Futures aims to "have a positive influence on participants' substance misuse, physical activity and offending behaviour". The Positive Futures projects have proved successful in building relationships, engaging and providing developmental opportunities for young people living in deprived areas.

Correspondence

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 14 October 2004 from the hon. Member for Brent, East regarding Ms Varsha Edeis.

Caroline Flint: I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 22 February 2005.

Criminal Justice Intervention Panels

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the National Offender Management Service will interrelate with the Criminal Justice Intervention Panels; and what impact on crime rates he expects to result from such interrelation.

Paul Goggins: The Drug Interventions Programme (formerly Criminal Justice Interventions Programme) is a critical part of the Government's national strategy for tackling drugs. Its implementation is being phased and delivery at a local level is through community-based Criminal Justice Integrated Teams (CJITs) which adopt a case management approach to offer access to drug treatment and support for drug misusing offenders.
	With the creation of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) we envisage the drugs case manager acting as the link to and, in some areas, provider of drug treatment services. Regional Offender Managers will be responsible for ensuring that effective links are established within their regions between offender managers and CJITs. This will avoid duplication and ensure a fully integrated package of support and management for drug misusing offenders before, during and after sentence.
	Research shows that engaging offenders in drug treatment significantly reduces offending and impacts on crime. The successful co-operation of the Drug Interventions Programme and NOMS will contribute to the planned overall reduction of 15 per cent. in offences recorded by the British Crime Survey by the end of 2007–08.

Drug Seizures

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what baseline figures will be used to measure his Department's targets to increase the proportion of (a) heroin seized from 10 per cent. in 2003 to 16 per cent. in 2006 and (b) cocaine seized from 21 per cent. to 26 per cent. in 2006, as set out on page 85 of the Home Office Strategic Plan 2004 to 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Home Office HMCE PSA 3 of increasing the proportion of heroin seized from 10 per cent. in 2003 to 16 per cent. in 2006 and cocaine from 21 per cent. to 26 per cent. is based upon the following Customs and Excise information.
	(a) Heroin
	The taking out of 3,379 kg of heroin in 2001–02.
	The targets for 2003–04 through to 2005–06 for heroin then are as follows:
	
		
			  Kilograms 
		
		
			 2003–04 4,000 
			 2004–05 4,600 
			 2005–06 5,300 
		
	
	(b) Cocaine
	The taking out of 10,930 kg of cocaine in 2001–02.
	The targets for 2003–04 through to 2005–06 for cocaine then is as follows:
	
		
			  Kilograms 
		
		
			 2003–04 12,000 
			 2004–05 12,600 
			 2005–06 13,200

Extradition Treaty

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects that the US Congress will ratify the amendment to the extradition treaty between the US and the United Kingdom; on what basis the United Kingdom has agreed to fulfill its obligations under the amended treaty prior to ratification by the US; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 1 March 2005
	The extradition treaty signed between the US and the UK in 2003 is a completely new treaty, and requires the advice and consent of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee before it can be ratified by the US Government. We have been advised by the US State Department that, although the Committee has a heavy schedule, the US State Department has asked it to consider the treaty at the earliest possible time.
	Some of the important, modernising provisions of the new treaty were given effect in the Extradition Act 2003 (and are therefore available generally in extradition, and are not linked solely to the US-UK treaty.) Secondary legislation was required under the new Act to designate all our extradition partners for the purposes of extradition to those states. The United States was, of course, included in that legislation.

Inquests

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days on average in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004 (i) coroners, (ii) deputy coroners and (iii) assistant deputy coroners in the north-east region sat on inquests.

Paul Goggins: This information is not available.

National Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the budget for the National Probation Service for 2005–06 will provide for the additional employment of front-line staff.

Paul Goggins: The 42 local probation boards have been provided with an extra £20 million for the recruitment of extra staff to fund the full year effect of staff recruited in 2004–05 and to commence the recruitment of a further 1,000 staff in 2005–06. This amounts to approximately 37 per cent. of the probation boards' increase in budget for 2005–06.

National Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed in each probation area on 31 December 2004, broken down by grade; and how many vacancies there were on that date, broken down by grade.

Paul Goggins: The requested information will not be available until April 2005. Data as at 30 September 2004 is the most recent available, and is provided in the tables.
	
		Table 1: Staff in post as at 30 September 2004
		
			  Operational Grades 
			  Senior probation officer Senior practitioner Probation officer Trainee probation officer 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 22.9 15.0 110.2 28.0 
			 Bedfordshire 10.5 9.5 38.0 14.0 
			 Cambridgeshire 14.8 10.3 50.5 18.0 
			 Cheshire 21.3 7.0 85.5 31.0 
			 Cumbria 10.0 7.0 35.9 17.0 
			 Derbyshire 22.2 0.0 103.4 21.0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 22.3 10.8 108.5 30.0 
			 Dorset 13.9 0.0 48.7 16.0 
			 Durham 23.0 0.0 66.5 21.0 
			 Dyfed Powys 7.0 9.5 26.2 21.0 
			 Essex 29.4 13.0 70.5 40.0 
			 Gloucestershire 10.2 11.6 33.2 12.0 
			 Greater Manchester 73.2 0.0 300.0 110.0 
			 Gwent 0.0 15.7 49.4 33.0 
			 Hampshire 23.8 14.2 130.5 47.0 
			 Hertfordshire 11.0 12.0 49.7 24.0 
			 Humberside 23.0 3.0 105.9 34.0 
			 Kent 21.8 26.6 96.0 38.0 
			 Lancashire 39.9 12.8 184.4 56.0 
			 Leicestershire 25.0 9.8 106.0 34.0 
			 Lincolnshire 19.0 0.0 45.0 10.0 
			 London 196.1 0.0 678.5 216.0 
			 Merseyside 32.0 0.0 205.4 77.0 
			 Norfolk 15.7 7.2 54.8 22.0 
			 North Wales 9.8 12.8 50.2 30.0 
			 North Yorkshire 13.0 15.6 46.6 25.0 
			 Northamptonshire 10.0 4.0 51.0 13.0 
			 Northumbria 37.2 2.0 234.9 36.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 29.0 0.0 139.0 25.0 
			 South Wales 40.2 3.0 126.5 71.0 
			 South Yorkshire 37.7 0.0 157.8 63.0 
			 Staffordshire 26.4 0.0 130.0 23.0 
			 Suffolk 16.3 8.9 57.6 14.0 
			 Surrey 9.5 10.5 42.1 15.0 
			 Sussex 20.9 11.0 95.9 21.0 
			 Teesside 20.5 1.0 63.4 20.0 
			 Thames Valley 36.0 0.0 133.3 38.0 
			 Warwickshire 8.8 8.4 38.0 12.0 
			 West Mercia 12.6 30.7 99.2 19.0 
			 West Midlands 63.9 0.0 383.6 92.0 
			 West Yorkshire 61.0 57.3 202.3 92.9 
			 Wiltshire 2.0 13.0 26.5 16.0 
			 Total 1,142.8 373.2 4,860.5 1,595.9 
		
	
	
		
			  Operational Grades 
			  Probation service officers Psychologists Other operational staff Total operational grades 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 162.9 0.0 0.0 339.0 
			 Bedfordshire 29.2 0.0 36.3 137.5 
			 Cambridgeshire 61.9 0.0 1.4 156.9 
			 Cheshire 92.1 0.0 81.2 318.1 
			 Cumbria 38.8 0.0 6.3 114.9 
			 Derbyshire 105.0 1.0 0.0 252.6 
			 Devon and Cornwall 127.5 0.0 0.0 299.1 
			 Dorset 59.7 0.0 0.0 138.2 
			 Durham 105.7 3.0 0.0 219.2 
			 Dyfed Powys 37.4 0.0 0.0 101.1 
			 Essex 175.1 1.0 1.7 330.7 
			 Gloucestershire 42.0 0.0 8.0 116.9 
			 Greater Manchester 321.9 1.0 117.1 923.2 
			 Gwent 67.3 0.0 0.0 165.4 
			 Hampshire 126.5 0.0 29.0 371.0 
			 Hertfordshire 58.1 0.0 0.0 154.8 
			 Humberside 134.2 0.0 14.5 314.6 
			 Kent 148.3 1.0 23.5 355.3 
			 Lancashire 150.0 0.0 28.4 471.5 
			 Leicestershire 174.2 3.0 1.5 353.5 
			 Lincolnshire 76.5 0.0 11.4 161.9 
			 London 686.3 7.0 2.0 1,785.9 
			 Merseyside 207.6 0.0 10.2 532.3 
			 Norfolk 80.5 0.0 7.0 187.2 
			 North Wales 74.2 1.0 0.0 178.0 
			 North Yorkshire 41.1 0.0 24.5 165.8 
			 Northamptonshire 69.0 0.0 7.0 154.0 
			 Northumbria 168.1 0.0 4.7 482.9 
			 Nottinghamshire 143.4 0.0 21.3 357.7 
			 South Wales 147.4 0.0 18.4 406.5 
			 South Yorkshire 203.3 1.0 0.0 462.8 
			 Staffordshire 82.7 0.0 23.1 285.2 
			 Suffolk 53.3 0.0 7.2 157.4 
			 Surrey 97.5 1.0 0.0 175.6 
			 Sussex 108.4 0.0 1.0 258.2 
			 Teesside 123.1 2.0 3.0 233.0 
			 Thames Valley 203.9 1.0 27.4 439.6 
			 Warwickshire 32.4 0.0 15.0 114.5 
			 West Mercia 100.1 0.0 0.0 261.7 
			 West Midlands 260.9 3.0 43.3 846.7 
			 West Yorkshire 297.0 0.0 0.0 710.5 
			 Wiltshire 37.3 1.0 0.2 96.0 
			 Total 5,511.7 27.0 575.6 14,086.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Support Grades 
			  Deputy chief officers/directors ACO and equivalent Area/district managers or equivalent Managers-Section or function heads 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 0.0 5.0 10.8 11.3 
			 Bedfordshire 0.0 4.5 0.0 7.1 
			 Cambridgeshire 0.0 6.0 0.0 6.8 
			 Cheshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.0 
			 Cumbria 0.0 4.7 0.0 3.8 
			 Derbyshire 0.0 5.0 0.0 5.0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2.0 6.6 9.0 5.0 
			 Dorset 0.0 1.5 2.0 4.5 
			 Durham 0.0 4.0 0.0 5.0 
			 Dyfed Powys 0.0 3.0 1.0 2.0 
			 Essex 0.0 1.6 0.0 15.2 
			 Gloucestershire 0.0 3.0 0.0 8.5 
			 Greater Manchester 4.0 12.0 16.0 41.0 
			 Gwent 0.0 4.0 11.0 12.0 
			 Hampshire 0.0 4.0 8.4 2.7 
			 Hertfordshire 0.0 4.0 0.0 9.6 
			 Humberside 0.0 8.0 2.0 11.0 
			 Kent 0.0 7.2 0.0 14.9 
			 Lancashire 1.0 8.0 4.0 12.0 
			 Leicestershire 0.0 6.0 0.0 16.2 
			 Lincolnshire 0.0 4.6 0.0 6.2 
			 London 10.0 53.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Merseyside 2.0 8.0 0.0 13.0 
			 Norfolk 0.0 4.0 0.0 10.8 
			 North Wales 0.0 4.0 0.0 2.0 
			 North Yorkshire 0.0 5.0 1.0 8.1 
			 Northamptonshire 0.0 3.6 0.0 7.0 
			 Northumbria 3.0 7.0 1.0 18.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0.0 7.0 2.0 2.0 
			 South Wales 3.0 6.0 6.0 8.8 
			 South Yorkshire 2.0 11.0 9.0 28.7 
			 Staffordshire 0.0 5.0 0.0 5.0 
			 Suffolk 0.0 0.8 0.0 6.5 
			 Surrey 2.0 0.8 0.0 2.6 
			 Sussex 1.0 7.0 0.0 1.0 
			 Teesside 0.0 6.0 0.0 5.4 
			 Thames Valley 3.0 6.0 0.0 12.0 
			 Warwickshire 0.0 4.0 2.0 6.5 
			 West Mercia 0.0 5.4 5.0 12.5 
			 West Midlands 5.7 14.9 7.8 18.5 
			 West Yorkshire 3.0 12.0 10.0 34.3 
			 Wiltshire 0.0 3.6 8.0 7.0 
			 Total 41.7 276.8 116.0 419.4 
		
	
	
		
			  Support Grades 
			  Support staff-Administration Support staff-Others Other specialist workers Total support grades Total staff 
		
		
			 Avon & Somerset 95.7 9.0 0.8 132.6 471.6 
			 Bedfordshire 23.7 1.0 2.3 38.5 176.0 
			 Cambridgeshire 39.4 5.7 2.0 59.8 216.7 
			 Cheshire 22.7 0.0 0.0 32.7 350.8 
			 Cumbria 39.2 0.0 2.8 50.5 165.4 
			 Derbyshire 76.5 0.0 16.2 102.7 355.3 
			 Devon & Cornwall 79.8 4.2 21.6 128.2 427.3 
			 Dorset 36.7 6.2 11.6 62.5 200.8 
			 Durham 37.6 5.5 0.0 52.1 271.3 
			 Dyfed Powys 26.4 0.0 10.8 43.2 144.3 
			 Essex 52.5 0.0 6.5 75.8 406.5 
			 Gloucestershire 38.3 0.4 4.8 55.0 171.9 
			 Greater Manchester 253.6 0.6 18.1 345.2 1,268.3 
			 Gwent 10.6 32.6 0.0 70.2 235.6 
			 Hampshire 96.3 0.0 13.6 125.0 496.0 
			 Hertfordshire 12.8 40.0 0.0 66.4 221.2 
			 Humberside 69.9 0.0 14.6 105.5 420.0 
			 Kent 66.2 0.4 3.0 91.7 447.0 
			 Lancashire 79.1 2.0 5.0 111.1 582.6 
			 Leicestershire 65.1 4.0 0.4 91.7 445.2 
			 Lincolnshire 46.7 0.0 1.0 58.5 220.4 
			 London 593.6 7.0 9.0 672.6 2,458.5 
			 Merseyside 45.3 158.9 4.5 231.7 764.0 
			 Norfolk 31.4 0.0 2.0 48.1 235.3 
			 North Wales 45.4 0.0 6.0 57.4 235.4 
			 North Yorkshire 42.6 0.0 0.0 56.7 222.5 
			 Northamptonshire 29.5 10.9 5.0 56.0 210.0 
			 Northumbria 131.7 0.0 6.0 166.7 649.5 
			 Nottinghamshire 99.2 3.2 0.0 113.4 471.1 
			 South Wales 112.4 0.0 0.0 136.2 542.7 
			 South Yorkshire 126.3 0.0 0.0 177.0 639.8 
			 Staffordshire 86.2 4.4 6.5 107.1 392.3 
			 Suffolk 31.4 0.0 0.0 38.7 196.1 
			 Surrey 47.8 0.0 9.4 62.6 238.2 
			 Sussex 2.0 45.5 17.6 74.1 332.3 
			 Teesside 57.5 2.7 0.0 71.6 304.6 
			 Thames Valley 113.9 13.0 1.0 148.9 588.5 
			 Warwickshire 30.8 0.0 0.0 43.3 157.9 
			 West Mercia 79.9 3.0 0.0 105.8 367.5 
			 West Midlands 280.0 0.0 39.4 366.3 1,213.0 
			 West Yorkshire 231.9 3.7 7.0 301.9 1,012.3 
			 Wiltshire 19.0 6.0 0.0 43.6 139.6 
			 Total 3,506.3 369.8 248.5 4,978.5 19,065.1 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Active vacancies as at 30 September 2004
		
			  Operational Grades 
			  Senior probation officer Senior practitioner Probation officer Trainee probation officer 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 1.0 1.0 13.9 0.0 
			 Bedfordshire 1.0 1.5 2.6 0.0 
			 Cambridgeshire 2.0 0.0 3.7 1.0 
			 Cheshire 4.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 
			 Cumbria 0.0 0.0 4.5 0.0 
			 Derbyshire 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0.0 0.0 2.8 0.0 
			 Dorset 0.0 0.0 10.7 1.0 
			 Durham 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 
			 Dyfed Powys 1.0 2.0 5.4 0.0 
			 Essex 0.5 1.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Gloucestershire 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Greater Manchester 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 
			 Gwent 0.0 0.5 4.0 0.0 
			 Hampshire 1.0 1.0 4.6 2.0 
			 Hertfordshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Humberside 14.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 
			 Kent 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Lancashire 1.7 0.0 2.7 0.0 
			 Leicestershire 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 
			 Lincolnshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 London 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Merseyside 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Norfolk 1.2 0.0 8.7 0.0 
			 North Wales 0.0 1.0 5.9 3.0 
			 North Yorkshire 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Northamptonshire 1.0 0.0 6.0 0.0 
			 Northumbria 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 South Wales 2.5 0.0 37.6 0.0 
			 South Yorkshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Staffordshire 1.0 0.0 3.0 14.0 
			 Suffolk 0.0 0.0 3.2 0.0 
			 Surrey 3.5 2.0 3.0 8.0 
			 Sussex 1.0 2.0 12.8 0.0 
			 Teesside 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Thames Valley 3.5 0.0 24.7 3.0 
			 Warwickshire 1.2 1.4 -3.4 2.0 
			 West Mercia 1.0 0.6 -7.3 14.0 
			 West Midlands 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 West Yorkshire 0.5 5.5 19.0 8.0 
			 Wiltshire 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 
			 Total 44.6 21.5 176.6 56.0 
		
	
	
		
			  Operational Grades 
			  Probation service officers Psychologists Other operational staff Total operational grades 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 5.8 0.0 0.0 21.7 
			 Bedfordshire 2.0 0.0 3.2 10.3 
			 Cambridgeshire 6.4 0.0 0.0 13.1 
			 Cheshire 11.1 0.0 3.2 19.8 
			 Cumbria 8.4 0.0 0.0 12.9 
			 Derbyshire 8.8 0.0 0.0 9.8 
			 Devon and Cornwall 12.0 0.0 0.0 14.8 
			 Dorset 7.1 0.0 0.0 18.8 
			 Durham 2.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 
			 Dyfed Powys 2.8 0.0 0.0 11.2 
			 Essex 2.0 0.0 0.0 3.5 
			 Gloucestershire 1.7 0.0 0.0 2.7 
			 Greater Manchester 3.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 
			 Gwent 4.0 0.0 1.0 9.5 
			 Hampshire 7.5 0.0 0.0 16.1 
			 Hertfordshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Humberside 7.5 0.0 1.0 24.5 
			 Kent 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Lancashire 4.5 0.0 0.3 9.2 
			 Leicestershire 3.1 0.0 0.0 5.1 
			 Lincolnshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 London 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Merseyside 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Norfolk 8.6 0.0 1.5 20.0 
			 North Wales 1.5 0.0 0.0 11.4 
			 North Yorkshire 12.0 0.0 0.0 13.0 
			 Northamptonshire 5.0 0.0 0.0 12.0 
			 Northumbria 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 9.7 0.0 3.1 12.8 
			 South Wales 12.7 0.0 1.0 53.8 
			 South Yorkshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Staffordshire 11.5 0.0 0.9 30.4 
			 Suffolk 4.1 0.0 0.0 7.3 
			 Surrey 18.2 0.0 0.0 34.7 
			 Sussex 12.7 0.4 0.0 28.9 
			 Teesside 6.4 0.0 0.0 6.4 
			 Thames Valley 15.1 0.0 0.0 46.3 
			 Warwickshire 1.7 0.0 0.0 2.9 
			 West Mercia 2.7 0.0 0.0 11.0 
			 West Midlands 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 West Yorkshire 30.9 0.0 0.0 63.9 
			 Wiltshire 8.0 0.0 0.0 10.0 
			 Total 260.4 0.4 15.2 574.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Support Grades 
			  Deputy chief officers/directors ACO and equivalent Area/district managers or equivalent Managers-Section or function heads 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 
			 Bedfordshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Cambridgeshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Cheshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Cumbria 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Derbyshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Dorset 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Durham 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Dyfed Powys 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Essex 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Gloucestershire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Greater Manchester 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Gwent 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Hampshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Hertfordshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Humberside 0.0 0.0 6.0 0.0 
			 Kent 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Lancashire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Leicestershire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Lincolnshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 London 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Merseyside 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Norfolk 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 
			 North Wales 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 North Yorkshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Northamptonshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Northumbria 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 South Wales 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 South Yorkshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Staffordshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Suffolk 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 
			 Surrey 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 
			 Sussex 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Teesside 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Thames Valley 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Warwickshire 0.0 1.0 -1.0 0.0 
			 West Mercia 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 
			 West Midlands 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 West Yorkshire 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 
			 Wiltshire 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 
			 Total 1.0 1.0 11.0 2.6 
		
	
	
		
			  Support Grades 
			  Support staff-Administration Support staff-Others Other specialist workers Total support grades Total active vacancies 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 10.4 0.0 0.0 12.4 34.1 
			 Bedfordshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.3 
			 Cambridgeshire 2.2 0.0 0.0 2.2 15.3 
			 Cheshire 1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 20.8 
			 Cumbria 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.9 
			 Derbyshire 1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 10.8 
			 Devon and Cornwall 8.5 0.0 3.0 11.5 26.3 
			 Dorset 4.8 0.0 0.0 4.8 23.6 
			 Durham 1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 4.0 
			 Dyfed Powys 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 11.7 
			 Essex 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 4.0 
			 Gloucestershire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.7 
			 Greater Manchester 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 
			 Gwent 7.8 0.0 1.0 8.8 18.3 
			 Hampshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 16.1 
			 Hertfordshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Humberside 3.0 0.0 0.0 9.0 33.5 
			 Kent 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Lancashire 4.5 0.0 0.0 4.5 13.7 
			 Leicestershire 2.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 7.1 
			 Lincolnshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 London 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Merseyside 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 
			 Norfolk 5.6 0.0 0.0 6.6 26.6 
			 North Wales 1.5 0.0 0.0 1.5 12.9 
			 North Yorkshire 2.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 15.0 
			 Northamptonshire 2.0 1.0 0.0 3.0 15.0 
			 Northumbria 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.8 
			 South Wales 12.5 0.0 0.0 12.5 66.3 
			 South Yorkshire 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Staffordshire 10.7 0.0 0.0 10.7 41.1 
			 Suffolk 3.2 0.0 1.0 4.7 12.0 
			 Surrey 3.0 0.0 1.0 6.0 40.7 
			 Sussex 11.5 0.0 0.0 11.5 40.4 
			 Teesside 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.4 
			 Thames Valley 16.8 3.0 0.0 19.8 66.1 
			 Warwickshire 3.7 0.0 0.0 3.7 6.6 
			 West Mercia 4.6 0.0 0.0 4.7 15.7 
			 West Midlands 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 West Yorkshire 21.2 0.0 0.0 23.2 87.1 
			 Wiltshire 3.5 0.0 0.0 4.5 14.5 
			 Total 148.9 4.0 6.0 174.5 749.2

National Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation staff he expects will be employed in each probation area in England and Wales by 30 March 2006, broken down by grade.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is as follows:
	By March 2006, it is anticipated that there will be more than 21,000 probation staff, an increase of at least 1,880 (9.8 per cent.) on the 19,120 FTE employed at 30 September 2004.
	It is not possible to provide this information by area or grade at the present time.

National Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the performance of the National Probation Service in meeting its targets for (a) 2003–04 and (b) April to September 2004.

Paul Goggins: The performance of the National Probation Service (NPS) in meeting its targets for 2003–04 and April to September 2004 is set out in the table.
	
		
			  2003–04 April to September 2004–05 
			 Performance measure Target Achieved Target Achieved Percentage point change 
		
		
			 Enforcement within 10 days (percentage) 90 77 90 85 +8 
			   
			 Compliance 70 63 70 65 +2 
			 Compliance including orders allowed to continue  (Target = 70 per cent.) — — 70 79 — 
			   
			 Offending Behaviour Programme Completions 15,000 13,136 7,500 6,827 — 
			 Percentage — 88 — 91 +3 
			   
			 ECP completions — — 11,850 17,518 — 
			 Percentage — — — 148 — 
			   
			 DTTO starts 9,000 8,519 6,078 4,847 — 
			 Percentage — 95 — 80 -15 
			   
			 Basic Skills Starts 16,000 14,971 11,520 13,353 — 
			 Percentage — 94 — 116 +29 
			   
			 Basic Skills Awards 4,000 2,815 2,960 3,302 +44 
			 Percentage — 70 — 112 — 
			   
			 Sickness (days) 9 12.3 9 11.5 -0.8 
			 Victims contacted (percentage) 85 91 85 (10)93 +2 
		
	
	(10) April-June 2004
	The figures illustrate the real improvement that the NPS has achieved on most of its main service delivery targets.
	It should be noted that the targets for:
	DTTOs have increased from 9,000 to 13,000
	Basic Skills starts have increased from 16,000 to 32,000
	Basic Skills completions have increased from 4,000 to 8,000
	The results for the first six months are very promising and show that the NPS can achieve all of its targets this year, provided that the good work done so far is maintained across all the 42 areas.

National Probation Service

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of probation staff in England and Wales were from ethnic minorities in the year ended March 2003.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 15 December 2004
	The information requested is as follows:
	The percentage of probation staff from black and minority ethnic groups at the year ended March 2003 was 10.1 per cent. A further 4.0 per cent. of staff did not have their ethnicity recorded.

National Probation Service

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation board members are from ethnic minorities; and how many were from ethnic minorities in March 2001.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 15 December 2004
	The information requested is as follows:
	
		Probation board members—England and Wales
		
			   Number Percentage of total number of board members 
		
		
			 April 2001(11) 78 (of 531) 14.7 
			 December 2004 79 (of 599) 13.2 
		
	
	(11) The information supplied is from April 2001, the date when board members were appointed to the National Probation Service. Prior to this date, no information is available.

National Probation Service

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of senior probation officers are from ethnic minorities.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 15 December 2004
	The information requested is as follows:
	The percentage of senior probation officers from black and minority ethnic groups as at 31 December 2003 was 10.8 per cent. of staff within that grade. A further 4.2 per cent. of senior probation officers did not have their ethnicity recorded.

National Probation Service

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Home Office has conducted stress surveys amongst staff in the probation service in England and Wales.

Paul Goggins: The National Probation Directorate has not conducted stress surveys amongst staff in the probation service in England and Wales. However, a number of probation areas may have conducted such surveys.
	The National Probation Directorate has been working closely with the local employers, trade unions and the Health and Safety Executive to deliver a first class health and safety policy to the National Probation Service.
	A recent study carried out by the Work Foundation on behalf of the Cabinet Office identified the working relationship between the National Probation Directorate, Employers and Trade Unions in developing the Health and Safety Strategy as National Best Practice.
	As part of the strategy, the National Probation Directorate has recently published a stress policy to be adopted by areas that is considered by the trade unions, employers and the Health and Safety Executive as a best practice model. This policy was created in accordance with the Health and Safety Executives launch of the Stress Management Standards in November 2004.

National Probation Service

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during 2003–04 the (a) National Probation Service's and (b) local probation area bullying and harassment policies were invoked.

Paul Goggins: There is no National Probation Service national bullying and harassment policy as such. The National Probation Service comprises forty-two probation boards that are bodies corporate in their own right and the employers of all staff working for that Board.
	The National Negotiating Council of the National Probation Service which comprises representatives of the employers, trade unions and National Probation Directorate issued a "model" harassment and bullying policy that the individual Boards might wish to introduce. Boards are free to adopt the "model" policy or to develop a policy of their own.
	The National Probation Directorate does not monitor the number of grievances or allegations of bullying or harassment made within the employing Boards as these are matters for the employer i.e. the individual Board.

National Probation Service

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps will be taken to improve morale within the National Probation Service.

Paul Goggins: In 2003–04 attrition rates within the National Probation Service (NPS)—the number of staff who leave the NPS, not including those who transfer within the service—stood at 8 per cent. for professional staff and 15 per cent. for support staff. This is well below the national average across the public sector. At the same time, the NPS has experienced little difficulty in recruitment, with total staff numbers rising by over 5,000 since 1997.
	The performance of the NPS, which is another good indicator of morale, has undergone a sustained period of improvement since 2001.
	Each probation area will receive a significant budget increase in 2005, with around 2,000 new members of staff to be recruited over the course of the year. This reflects the commitment the Government have to effective community supervision and will make a real difference to the management of offenders.
	We will continue to encourage constructive dialogue with probation staff in order to ensure that they are fully engaged in the future development of the National Offender Management Service.

Immigration

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what checks are made by his Department of whether non-European Union citizens who enter the United Kingdom (a) take-up illegal employment and (b) live on benefits.

Des Browne: Nationals of countries outside the European Economic Area who are subject to immigration control are examined by the Immigration Service on arrival in the United Kingdom to establish whether they qualify for leave to enter under the Immigration Rules. Certain nationalities require prior entry clearance at British diplomatic posts overseas. Checks are carried out into the cases of individual non-EEA nationals who have entered the United Kingdom where there is particular reason to suspect they are committing immigration offences or breaching their conditions of stay. Enforcement operations against illegal migrant working and suspected benefit fraud are intelligence-led, and in some cases involve joint action with other Government Departments.

Overseas Bribery

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the minutes of the meeting that took place on 27 October between his officials and the Confederation of British Industry at which legislation on overseas bribery was discussed.

Paul Goggins: This was an informal meeting in the context of a visit from officials of the Government of the Netherlands who were seeking to learn from UK experience in the implementation of anti-bribery legislation. No minutes were made by the Home Office.

Police IT

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the integration of police IT systems.

Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) announced on 22 June 2004 that the Government accepted the recommendations of Sir Michael Bichard's report following the Soham murders, including the introduction of a national IT system to support police intelligence. Work on introducing a national information-sharing system, safeguarding the future of the central information services currently provided by the Police National Computer, and implementing the business process changes in the police service required to make the new systems effective is being taken forward under the IMPACT Programme. As an interim solution, a National Nominal Index (NNI) gives police forces access to data held by the Criminal Records Bureau's Interim Police Local Cross-Check (I-PLX) system, which flags which forces hold information in specified systems about an individual. The NNI is currently being piloted in three forces and will be rolled out to other forces during 2005. The aim is to complete the IMPACT Programme by March 2007.

Prisoners (Resettlement)

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to involve families in the arrangements for the resettlement of prisoners upon their release; and what plans he has to change the system.

Paul Goggins: The Government recognise that helping to keep families together during sentence can contribute to successful resettlement and is firmly committed to promoting family ties. The Prison Service has a statutory obligation to encourage and assist prisoners to maintain contacts with their families and the wider community. It has strengthened its partnership with the voluntary and community sector, recognising the invaluable contribution it makes to services to families. There are now over 100 visitor centres and conditions have improved significantly in recent years, with more prisons adopting an imaginative approach in providing for extended family visits and play areas for children. The Assisted Prison Visits Scheme, funded by the Prison Service, also provides help with travel costs to prisoners' families and partners.
	Prisoners' families are involved in sentence planning at certain establishments, where family members and outside probation staff are invited to attend sentence planning boards, in preparation for release. Family members are also invited to attend post-course reviews following the completion of offending behaviour programmes such as PASRO, a cognitive behavioural programme for substance misusers. The DfES Offenders' Learning and Skills Unit also supports a range of family literacy and parenting programmes within prisons, working closely with the voluntary sector to provide support to prisoners and their families.
	The Government are seeking to develop a more strategic approach to engaging the children and families of offenders, both to maintain family ties and to support resettlement. Work is being taken forward under the Reducing Re-offending National Action Plan to establish best practice within a regional pathfinder. This is being taken forward in partnership with a wide range of voluntary and statutory organizations. In support of this collaborative working, the Probation Service is developing a national framework for working effectively with children and families of offenders.

Prison Staff

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many prison officers and staff (a) were tested for HIV/Aids and (b) tested positive for HIV/Aids, following an incident in which they were injured (i) in each year since 1997 and (ii) from 1 January to 1 December;
	(2)  how many prison officers and staff were waiting on 6 December for the outcome of a test for HIV/Aids following an incident in prison in which they were injured.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 13 December 2004
	The Prison service does not hold information on the number of prison officers or staff tested for Aids/HIV or the results of any such tests. This information is confidential to the member of staff and is not normally available to the Prison Service.

Prison Staff

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with prison governors about the ability of prison officers to carry out front-line duties beyond the age of 60 years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service has been involved in a range of discussions with prison governors and their representatives on the ability of prison officers to work beyond the age of 60, through the formal Whitley Council structure as well as in other forums. These discussions continue. Prison Officers are currently able to work beyond the age of 60 in exceptional circumstances where the Governor is satisfied that retention is necessary to meet the overriding needs of the Service.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed objectives of the Serious Organised Crime Agency have changed since the decision to establish it.

Caroline Flint: The proposed objective for the Serious Organised Crime Agency continues to be to reduce the harm caused by serious organised crime to the United Kingdom, as set out in the Government White Paper, "One Step Ahead: A 21st Century Strategy to Defeat Organised Crime", published on 29 March 2004.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs have been incurred in the establishment of the Serious Organised Crime Agency to date; and what estimate he has made of the total costs.

Caroline Flint: Costs incurred within the 2004–05 financial year towards the establishment of the Serious Organised Crime Agency have been met from within the existing Home Office budget. Costs to be incurred within 2005–06 will be funded from a transition budget of up to £13.5 million resource and £10 million capital agreed as a result of SR 2004.

Sexual Assaults

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the network of sexual assault referral centres to (a) Leeds and (b) Yorkshire.

Paul Goggins: Plans are under way to develop a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Leeds which would provide forensic examination and link in with the support and counselling offered by the STAR (Surviving Trauma After Rape) project. STAR was established in 1994 by the Police and the four health authorities in West Yorkshire to provide co-ordinated support and counselling for victims of sexual assault. In addition, I understand that the voluntary and community sector are considering developing a SARC in Halifax.
	We are committed to increasing the number of SARCs in England and Wales and Home Office funding from the Victims Fund is to be made available for the establishment of new SARCs in 2005–06. Projects in Leeds and in Yorkshire will be invited to apply for grants along with all other areas of England and Wales. Details of the application process will be made available in March.

Unpaid Fines

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were imprisoned because of (a) unpaid fines and (b) uncompleted community orders in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: The number of persons received into prison establishments in default of payment of a fine in each year from 1997 to 2003 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 6,336 
			 1998 5,374 
			 1999 3,727 
			 2000 2,476 
			 2001 1,453 
			 2002 1,192 
			 2003 1,250 
		
	
	Information for 2004 is available only to 30 November at present, during which period there were 1,719 receptions of fine defaulters into prison establishments, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system.
	The available information on persons imprisoned for uncompleted community orders is for persons 1 sentenced to immediate custody following breach of a community sentence 2 and is as follows:
	1 Includes a person more than once if sentenced to immediate custody for a breach of more than one type of community sentence on the same day.
	2 Includes probation orders (community rehabilitation orders from April 2001), supervision orders (but not available for 1997–99), community service orders (community punishment orders from April 2001), attendance centre orders, combination orders (community punishment and rehabilitation orders from April 2001), curfew orders, reparation orders (from June 2000), action plan orders (from June 2000) and drug treatment and testing orders (from October 2000). It does not include referral orders (from April 2002).
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 7,205 
			 1998 6,401 
			 1999 7,573 
			 2000 8,317 
			 2001 8,094 
			 2002 9,071 
			 2003 9,526 
		
	
	Statistics for persons sentenced in 2004 are due for publication later this year.

Victim Support (Greater London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the victim support scheme in the Greater London area.

Paul Goggins: The Greater London area is not serviced by one individual Victim Support scheme. Victim Support services are organised by individual London boroughs and the London Crown Court Witness Service is managed by Victim Support's National Office.
	The Home Office assesses the effectiveness of individual Victim Support schemes by monitoring the outcomes of area inspections, undertaken by Victim Support's Quality and Standards Department. Several London boroughs and the London Crown Court Witness Service have been reviewed since the new inspection process was introduced in 2003. Victim Support's inspection reports are public documents and can be viewed on their website.
	The Home Office also reviews Victim Support's statistical information for the Metropolitan area on an annual basis. In 2003–04 Victim Support schemes and Witness Services in the Metropolitan area received a total of 236,683 referrals. The community-based services made 249,905 successful contacts and achieved a personal contact rate which exceeded the national average.

Visas

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the request from the Visa Section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the clearance of Mr. Abdulazeem Morsy (GV100/102307/DL) to enter the UK.

Des Browne: The information requested was forwarded electronically to the Visa Section of the British Embassy in Khartoum on 1 March 2005.